Joy to My Life
by WaJB
Summary: NEW! CHAPTER NINE!: This is so completely Dorothy-centric this chapter... This series does contain the following - HYxRP, DMxHS, WCxSP, QWxDC, TB and MU!
1. Prologue: A Well Deserved Vacation

Disclaimer:  Own, I do not. So there.  This is the SEQUEL to The Colours of Life.  If you haven't read that…maybe you should 'cause this fic will be really confusing (I think) if you haven't read TCoL.  To the people who have read TCoL, here's the sequel! ^_^

Joy to My Life 

Prologue: A Well Deserved Vacation…

By: J.B. Santiago

  - Florence, Earth – Real Time -

Warm light poured through the open French doors, a light breeze gently lifting the thin, embroidered white curtains onto the balcony overlooking the city of Florence.  The image was quintessentially Spring BUT the person in the four-poster bed, opposite the French doors was not enjoying it.  Not one bit.  Dorothy huffed in irritation.  She was sitting up on the bed, her back propped up by very cushy pillows.  Her lower body covered by a thin cotton sheet, the heavy blanket and silk overlay thrown to one side of the bed, precariously hanging on the edge.  She huffed again, blowing air up into her eyes, making her headband-less hair go up then go back down again.  Dorothy pouted, her arms crossed over her chest, "This is ridiculous!" she muttered angrily to herself.  

"What is cousin dear?"  Bethany appeared at the entrance of the large bedroom, carrying a tray with breakfast on it.

Dorothy glared at her cousin.  "You know perfectly well what it is!  I'm strong enough - " She didn't finish as Bethany stuffed a bagel into her mouth.

"Now, now, Dory.  You know that's not true.  It's only been a two weeks since…" Bethany trailed off but quickly continued to stop Dorothy from speaking.  " And you know two weeks isn't enough time to heal.  So just lie down and relax.  Eat your breakfast while I tell you all the fun things were going to do today!"  She smiled brightly, settling onto the bed, legs crossed, placing the try across Dorothy's lap.

Dorothy finished off chewing the bagel and brought a hand to stop her cousin from speaking.  "Listen, Bethany.  You do NOT need to wait on me hand and foot.  I am NEVER going to go on one of your 'fun' excursions again. AND - " She paused for dramatic effect, " – I. AM. FINE.  So thank you for your hospitality, now kindly leave me ALONE."  She accentuated the last word, glaring meaningfully at the door.

Bethany unperturbed by Dorothy's hostility was about to plow straight ahead with what she was originally going to say when someone knocked on the door.

"I'm not interrupting anything am I?"  A sweet voice said, entering the room, looking at the two blonds as if it was a tennis match. Quatre's wounds had healed so completely baffling the doctors at the hospital that they had wanted him to stay longer for tests but he politely declined, instead taking a vacation in Bethany's estate to 'look after' Dorothy.

"Quatre!  You're not interrupting anything, I was just about to tell Dory, our plans for today."  Bethany smiled up at Quatre who returned it before giving a pained expression, like someone had just yelled in his ear.

"Are you ok, Quatre?" 

Quatre nodded, the ringing in his ears subsiding.  "Ahh…Bethany, your Grandmother's on the vid-com in the study.  She wanted to talk to you, urgently."

At this Bethany's already pale complexion got paler.  Hurrying out of the room sending out an apologetic face and muttering, "I'll be right back" and "What is it this time?  I haven't done anything wrong lately…"

As her figure disappeared down into the hall, Quatre turned to look at the beauty propped up by gigantic pillows, trying to hide the annoyance she felt but it just made her more beautiful, in his eyes anyway.  He smiled at her, sitting down on the bed, moving the tray to one side and leaning close enough for their foreheads to meet.  "You didn't have to yell, you know."  He whispered, their lips touching on each word he said.  

Dorothy leaned back into the pillows, and gave him a withering glare.  "What took you so long?  Couldn't you have thought of a better reason than a call from her Grandmother?  She'll be back in two minutes trying to get me to go on her 'fun' excursions!"  She crossed her arms over her chest again. _'I want to spend some 'quality' time with you.'_  She thought.

A twinkle appeared in Quatre's eyes.  He leaned closer to her again.  "So do I."  Their lips brushed against each other, as they were about to initiate a tongue war – 

"Quatre, my grandmother wasn't on the vid-com…" Bethany trailed off as Quatre hastily pulled away from a very annoyed Dorothy, blushing a deep crimson.  Bethany smirked.  "Hmmm…if you had wanted to be alone, you could have just asked."  She ignored Dorothy's death glare and picked up the tray on the bed.  "Don't want you using my good china for your little 'games'."  With that she sauntered out of the room, leaving a very red Quatre to stare sheepishly, as the door closed with a click.

Dorothy's face brightened. 'Finally!' she thought crawling towards Quatre, pulling him down by his waist.  She caressed his face, running a hand through his messy hair.  The heat from his face seemed to follow her hand and he felt dizzy with joy.  Running a hand across her face, as if he was trying to remember every line and contour on her face.  He smiled as they their lips met again.

Bethany shook her head.  Her cousin in love was so strange.  The Dorothy she knew was a bitch, all cold and aloof.  Now Dorothy was a bitch in love.  She laughed out loud, wandering through her gardens on her estate situated on the outskirts of Florence.  Two weeks ago Dorothy was adamantly denying she felt anything for a certain, blond-haired, blue-eyed pacifist billionaire.  Now she was busy making out with him.  'At least she's exercising.'  A wry smile touched her lips.  The international media had swooped down on the story like a pack of vultures that hadn't eaten in a year.  Of course they had gotten it all wrong.  She remembered Dorothy's facial expression when the media had broadcasted the news that Mr Winner had been shot by an angry ex, of not Dorothy Catalonia's but Bethany Montague's.  The media had added two and two together and had come up with this story:  Mr Winner was last seen in Paris with a mysterious blond woman later to be identified as Bethany Montague (a socialite and related to the Duchess Catalonia), and were then seen in Florence apparently having a lovers tryst.  An angry ex-lover of Ms. Montague's pulled out a gun and shot Mr Winner, twice – in the shoulder and left lung.  The assailant had been identified as Alessio Luciano and is still at large.

Bethany shook her head her eyes sparkling, remembering the angry phone messages Alessio had given her when he found out he was a wanted man for shooting Quatre.  He was now in hiding, until the whole thing blew over.  Bethany smirked.  She never liked that family anyway.  Sitting down on one of the benches located around the estate, she watched goldfish swim around lazily in the koi pond.  Relena and Heero had left the night Quatre woke up, so not to arouse suspicion about why they were there so suddenly.  The Parisian police relieved since the Vice Foreign Minister had been missing from the terrorist attack on the Peace Talks.  Wufei and Sally had returned to Preventer Headquarters to report back from their mission.  Catherine and Trowa stayed a few more days in the hospital before heading back to the Circus in Paris, which was still under investigation about why it had collapsed; sabotage the main suspect.  While the Maxwells were enjoying what was left of their anniversary, on an all expenses paid holiday to Milan, Italy – thanks to Bethany (Duo was horrified: "More shopping!?").  Bethany dipped her toes into the pond, scattering the fish in every direction.   She hadn't really gotten to know Dorothy's friends well but she missed them.  'I should invite them for a vacation…' Her train of thought interrupted when John, her butler gave her an envelope.

"Miss Bethany, the letter just arrived by messenger.  There is no forwarding address."

Bethany eyed the envelope, her hand softly going over the round, red seal with a weird design imprinted on it.  She nodded.  "Thank you John, that'll be all."  John left with a slight bow and briskly walked towards the mansion.  

Bethany stared at the envelope.  'A Council summons.  I knew they'd want to meet.  Wonder what took them so long?'  She vaguely reflected, opening the envelope to reveal one sheet of thick paper with a logo embossed on it, the writing neat and cursive, reminiscent of the ancient 12th century transcripts written by monks.  Bethany scanned the letter, skipping most of it until she found what she was looking for. 'The Greater Council will meet on May 1st, A.C. 201, at Council Headquarters.  The Red Council is required to attend, as their account of the events concerning the Darkness is imperative to the future of the Greater Council.'  Rolling her eyes, she threw the letter up in the air and it exploded into a ball of fire, then disappeared, no trace of it; no ash could be seen.  She raised an eyebrow; the Council is discovering more parlour tricks.  Standing up she walked to the entrance.  She couldn't wait to tell Dorothy the 'good' news.

         ***********************

  - ESUN office, Earth – Real Time -

Two weeks.  It was two weeks since it had happened.  Two weeks ago she had died.  Relena sighed dropping her pen on one of the treaties she was supposedly reviewing.  'Come on, Relena.  Snap out of it!'  She stood up and walked to one of the huge arch windows.  The weather had been beautiful for the last week, hardly any clouds to blot the light blue sky.  During those two weeks she had immersed herself in everything that came her way.  She attacked her work with vigour, gave huge donations to charities, donated blood, ran in charity marathons – anything and everything.  She called her adopted mother everyday now, telling her about her day and that she loved her.  She talked to Milliardo who was still on Mars with Noin as well.  And of course, she spent as much time as possible with Heero, showing him how much she loved him.  Relena sighed again, leaning her forehead against the cold glass.  'Maybe I should slow down a bit…I'm going to burn myself out…' She straightened up, shaking her head.  'No.  I can't slow down now.  I've been given another chance, I'm not going to stop.'  Sitting back into her plush office chair, she forced herself to focus on the treaty in front of her.  Unbeknownst to Relena, a figure watched her intensely through a hidden camera located in the room.

"Relena…" Heero watched his fiancé throw herself back into her work.  She had been like this since… Heero growled in frustration.  She was working herself to a pulp.  She needed to stop this insane need to do everything.  She needed a vacation.  Heero whispered to himself, "Mission accepted."

         ************************

  - Milan, Earth – Real Time -

Hilde struck a pose in front of the huge Milan Cathedral.  Duo stood a good ten metres away from her, trying to get both Hilde and the cathedral in one shot.  Pigeons milled all over the place, as tourists threw corn seeds at them.  The place was packed with people all enjoying the wonderful spring weather.

"Duo!  Hurry up!  I can't stand in this pose forever!"  Hilde glared at her husband, though she doubted he could see it.

"Hold on for a minute, just a few more seconds…" Duo moved a step back, his eye glued to the eyepiece of the camera, not realising he was about to bump into a corn vendor.

"Duo!  Look - " Hilde said too late as Duo tumbled into the vendor, sending a huge amount of corn seeds into the air. "- out."

"AAGH!"  He yelled as pigeons flocked towards him.  They landed around and on him, pecking at the seeds.  "AAGH! Get off me!  Get off my HAIR!!!"  Duo ran like crazy towards Hilde, some pigeons still pestering his head for seeds.

Hilde couldn't help but laugh at the sorry sight her husband made.  He didn't think it was too funny, growling at her. "How would you like being attacked by hundreds of pigeons, hmm Hilde."  He said, menacingly, advancing towards his laughing wife.

"Oh no you don't!"  Hilde ducked as Duo threw some seeds at her that had come from inside his shirt.

Duo chased Hilde through the plaza, both of them laughing now.  He finally caught up to her, slinging her over his shoulder, running towards the pigeons.

"Duo!  Put me down!"  Hilde exclaimed playfully hitting his back.

"If you insist!" Duo dumped Hilde on the ground next to the eating pigeons that thankfully flew away from her.  She gave Duo a grin, pulling him down next to her.  She smoothed his mussed up hair.

"There, there.  Now you don't look like you've just been attacked by a flock of birds."  She couldn't get that silly grin off her face.  "Kiss me bird-man!"

'Bird-man? Hope she doesn't tell anyone about this!'  Duo thought as he bent his face down to meet hers, complying with her wishes.

         ************************

  - Paris, Earth – Real Time -

Catherine leaned against the railing of the Eiffel Tower.  She took in the sight of Paris.  It truly was a beautiful place.  When she and Trowa had gotten back from Florence, however, the police were extremely pushy… She had been kidnapped after all.  But the only thing she could really tell them was that, she had woken up in a Florence hospital with no memory of her captors.  This had irritated the police to no end until the Preventers took over the case, leaving them with nothing to worry about.  Catherine closed her eyes.  Two weeks since those horrible events had happened.  Sometimes she would wake up at night thinking she could hear those people scream.  She shivered as a cool breeze blew the thin coat she was wearing.  A strong arm encircled her, pressing her closer to him.  She smiled up at her brother, who gave a small smile back before looking out onto the city.  She was glad Trowa was there.  She knew he felt guilty for what had happened to her even though she continually told him it wasn't his fault.

"We can go back down, if you're cold Cathie."

Catherine shook her head.  "No, I'm fine.  I want to stay here a bit longer, if that's ok with you."

Trowa nodded, squeezing his sister's shoulder in a sign of comfort.  He glanced at her as she looked out at the city.  He didn't know what to do about those nightmares she had, except to be there to hold her hand when she woke up.  It didn't help that every time she did have a nightmare his thoughts would lead to a certain blond woman with grey eyes.  If Catherine had nightmares about what happened, Midii would too.  Who would be there to hold her hand?  To comfort her?  Trowa didn't know why he cared, she hadn't tried to contact them at the Circus; he had checked every night and nothing.

Trowa almost didn't hear Catherine call out his name; too caught up in his thoughts.  "Trowa, Trowa.  Are you ok?"   Catherine asked concernedly.

Trowa nodded absentmindedly. 'Get out of my head, Midii Une.'

         *************************

  - Preventer HQ, Earth – Real Time -

"Congratulations, Wufei, Sally, on a job well done.  The children were kept safe and protected.  Excellent job, Wufei; with the Circus incident.  I trust the whole event is in your capable hands."  Said Lady Une, watching Wufei as if he had just grown an extra head.  Ever since they had entered her office, Wufei hadn't uttered one 'onna' or 'kisama'.  Lady Une was getting worried. Was he planning to exact some humiliating revenge on her, for making him wear a purple dinosaur suit?  She silently chided herself for being overly paranoid but…dammit!  He was SMILING!

"Thank you, Lady Une.  It was quite a challenging and satisfactory mission."  Wufei replied, bowing slightly.

Lady Une was now officially freaked out and afraid.  "Good… You're dismissed… Could I speak to you alone, Sally?"

Sally nodded and Wufei closed the door behind him.  Lady Une studied the woman's face; she was smiling ever so slightly.

"What's going on, Sally?  I don't believe Wufei could suddenly have a change of heart that big.  Please explain."  She crossed her arms across her chest, her layered hair falling forwards.

Sally gave her a puzzled look.  "Going on?  Nothing's going on…Wufei's just discovered a fondness for children, that's all."  She grinned.  "He's also discovered a fondness for me, it seems…"

Lady Une's paranoia seeped away as she grinned back at Sally.  "Oh…good.  It's about time.  All the best of luck, Sal." She laughed, sitting down on her office chair, shuffling the papers on her desk.

Sally laughed with her before turning towards the door.  "Don't worry, Lady, I don't think Wufei will be trying to harm you for the dinosaur suit."

         *************************

  - The Council HQ, Earth – Real Time -

Mario Luciano Sr, twirled his walking cane around in an anti-clockwise direction.  He waited impatiently as the other Heads of Council entered the conference room. "Finally!  Now that you are all here, we can get down to business."  He nodded acknowledging the three people seating themselves in their respective chairs.  "We have been able to tap into the old powers.  Now all we need to decide on is – do we tell the Greater Council of our findings?"  He let the question hang in the air, a tension already developing among those assembled.

"What do you mean, do we tell them?  We must report these findings to the Greater Council.  How else will we usurp Red as leader and begin to take over Earth?" asked Giovanni Andretti, his newfound Gold power made him glow slightly.

"He means, why share with the Greater Council?  Why do we want to give the old powers to the Outer Council?  Those families were and still are nothing but lesser nobles, compared to us.  We are the Inner Council; the Head's of each Colour.  Our families were born to rule."  Replied Henry Windsor, he created a drink of sparkling mineral water and took a sip, staring superiorly at Giovanni.

"What are you suggesting? We don't tell the Greater Council?  Don't you think they'll become suspicious when our families begin to use the old powers for conquest?"  asked a sceptical Emeline Noventa, her body already becoming younger and healthier the Green power coursing through her veins.

"They won't need to know if their not alive." replied Mario Sr.  "We've called a Greater Council meeting.  Every member will be here.  They wont be alive the morning after."  He smiled maliciously.

"Are you mad?!  You're planning to kill six families.  Eighteen people, all together.  We just can't kill them!" exclaimed Giovanni, glowing a little bit brighter.

"They are opposition to us.  We must eliminate all who oppose us.  WE are meant to rule!  Don't you understand!?  The old powers we have tapped into will not be enough to sustain all those families, we must get rid of them." Repeated Henry, the Blue power glowed darker around him, the room now glowing gold and blue.

Giovanni stared at the three sitting around him.  He turned to Emeline.  "You don't support this madness, do you, Emeline?"

Emeline placed a wrinkle free hand on the table, tapping tunelessly.  "My family is the only family left of the Green Council.  You three," she pointed to the three men, before continuing, "have other families under your Council.  I will not be part of this decision as I don't have your problem."  She stood up, nodding to them before disappearing in a burst of green light.

"It seems you are outvoted, Giovanni.  We will prepare the cleansing of the Greater Council, at the coming meeting."  Mario Sr said snidely.

Giovanni clenched his fists before walking out of the conference room, slamming the doors with a loud bang.

Henry stared at Mario.  "The meeting will need to be told to the press.  The Romefeller foundation's senior families gathered for talks on how terrorist attacks like on the Peace Summit Talks should be handled." He chuckled slightly before continuing, "Then the meeting will be attacked by terrorists, and eighteen senior members will be tragically killed as well as the head of Romefeller, Duchess Catalonia."  He laughed now.  "Wonderful, isn't it?"

**********************

Person who said this fic was going to be light but realises that's not going to happen:

Hehe…I have a feeling this fic is going to be a bit darker then TCoL…sheesh!  I try to write a comedy and I get this! ^_^ hope no one minds! I'm currently writing Chapter 1, so I'm sorry for such a long writers block!!! C&C, R&R and flames!! Are all VERY, VERY welcome!!! (e-mail too! ^_~)


	2. Chapter 1: While on VacationBOOM!

Disclaimer: Do I have to write one for every chapter?!  THANKS to my beta reader ANNE, most helpful person in the world!  I want to thank all who have reviewed!  Yeah!  I hope you guys like the sequel!

Joy To My Life

Chapter 1: While on Vacation…BOOM!

By: J.B. Santiago

This _italics_ indicates flashbacks.

         ******************

  - ESUN Office, Earth – Real Time -

"Relena."

Relena looked up from the trade documents she was reading as Heero walked up to her desk, placing a thin sheet of paper in front of her.

"What's this?"  Relena picked up the paper reading the heading, "Itinerary for April 28th to May 1st."  Relena gave a questioning glance at Heero. "I already have this Itinerary.  Why are you giving me another one?"

Heero pointed to a part on the paper.  "The Ambassador Cordell has changed his schedule and you'll be meeting him in Rome, Italy, with the Ambassadors for the Colonies X-2935 and C-22987.  We leave tonight."

Relena read what he was pointing to. She nodded her head, resignedly.  "Ok.  Thanks for telling me."  She gave a weak smile to her fiancé before reading the trade documents again.  Heero sighed inwardly before walking out of the office, closing the door softly shut.  Relena would be mad at him for rescheduling her meetings so she could take a break but he hoped a few days with friends would make her relax.  He nodded to himself. Yes, it was for the best. It had been a godsend when Bethany had called him asking if he and Relena would like to visit her estate in Florence for a few days.  Quatre and Dorothy were there, recuperating and it would be nice to see them again.

_Heero hid his surprise as his private line opened to reveal Dorothy's cousin on the vid-phone. 'How did she get this number?  Only Relena knew this number.' Before he had the chance to ask her, she spoke._

_"Hello, Mr Yuy!  It's Bethany Montague.  You're probably wondering how I got this number…well lets just say, Council technology is very good for hacking."  Bethany smiled mischievously continuing, "I was just wondering, if you and Miss Relena aren't busy, you would accept my invitation to stay at my home in Florence for a few days.  I'm trying to get everyone here, for a get together…Quatre and Dorothy are here, and they'd love to see you two again."  She hastily added, when Heero's face gave away nothing but indifference. _

Heero stared at the girl, whose features were strikingly similar to Dorothy's (except her eyebrows were the same colour as her hair) and her eyes were a pale green.  She seemed almost eager to please.  Heero studied her more.  This was the girl who had saved Relena but at the same time cause Relena to become so insecure and so determined to run herself into the ground.  He nodded slightly, "Yes, we'll be there."  

_Bethany's face brightened, "Really?  Great! Can you make it on the 28th?"_

_Heero nodded again.  "We'll get to your house, don't pick us up from the airport."  With that he logged off.  This would be good for Relena, letting her be with friends, away from work; yes it would be good for her._

Heero blinked, standing guard at Relena's door, as diplomats walked past it.  Mission Status: Green.  All signs are good.

         ********************

  - Preventer HQ, Earth – Real Time - 

"Romefeller's most senior members are meeting at Luxemburg Hall, on the 21st of May.  They're planning to discuss and debate over the Summit Peace Talks."  Lady Une paused, looking at her two best Preventers, "As you know the Talks didn't go too smoothly, with that one terrorist attack nearly destroying years of work.  We still have no leads on who that terrorist group was but I do NOT want a repeat of it at this meeting."  She gave them a manila folder each.  "Here are your mission details.  Dismissed."

Wufei left without a word, he had been gradually returning to his old self again but he wasn't continuously mumbling 'onna'.  Sally looked at Lady Une, "You think the same terrorist group will attack this Romefeller meeting?"

Lady Une shrugged.  "Better to be safe than sorry.  These senior members hold a lot of influence over the ESUN, most of them have pacifistic intent.  I'm not willing to lose those."

Sally nodded.  "Neither am I."  With that she walked out of Une's office, heading towards Wufei's office.  She wanted to tell Une that the 'terrorist group' weren't about to resurface any time too soon.  Bethany had explained to them that Darkness Soldiers were like zombies, their 'life force', if you could call it that, came from the Darkness.  So when Dorothy eliminated the Darkness, they just stopped functioning.  Sally shook her head.  It would be dangerous to tell Une, not that she would believe her.  Magical powers. Darkness. Subspace. Time-travelling.  Sally hardly believed it and she was there.  

"Hey Wufei, no costume on this mission."

Wufei grumbled lightly but it didn't hide the uncharacteristic softness, gleaming in his obsidian eyes as he stared at his partner.

"I guess we can't accept Bethany's invitation to visit her and the others.  I wonder if this is a meeting of Romefeller or really the Council."  Sally tapped a pencil to her chin. "I'll ask her, when I tell her we can't come."  She smiled at Wufei,  "I'll do it after lunch.  Come on, you're buying."

Pulling a not too disgruntled Wufei out of his chair, she linked arms with him and headed to the door, leaving their mission details, unopened on the desk.  The door locking shut.

         *********************

   - Paris, Earth – Real Time – 

Catherine folded her clothes carefully into her well-worn suitcase.  Paris was a beautiful city but she was glad they were leaving it.  Bethany's invitation to her and Trowa to visit her Florence home was a good excuse to leave Paris.  She just couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling that it gave her.  A knock broke Catherine out of her reverie.  Leaving her clothes she opened her trailer door to reveal a small woman, with blond hair and grey eyes.

"Nanashi!  It's good to see you again!"  Catherine quickly gave the woman a hug.  She returned it hesitantly.

"Uhh…Hi Catherine.  I-I was, uh, I wanted to see how you were going." Replied the woman.  "And…umm, Catherine, my real name is Midii Une.  Nanashi is a, uh, childhood nickname."  Midii didn't know why she had just told a nearly complete stranger her real name but Catherine was just so open and friendly.

Catherine nodded eagerly, she was glad to see the woman again.  "Midii.  That's a nice name. Oh! Sorry, please come in!"  She stepped aside to let Midii into her trailer.  Midii seemed hesitant as she looked around the other trailers nevertheless she entered Catherine's trailer.

"Would you like something to eat?  I have some soup…Or would you like a drink?"  Catherine directed Midii to the couch, as she turned towards the kitchen.

Midii shook her head, fervently, "No, no.  I'm ok.  I just wanted to see how you were going." And to see your brother again, she silently added.

Catherine nodded, sitting on the same couch.  "I'm good, although…" She trailed off, staring at the coffee table.

Midii nodded, knowingly.  "I still have nightmares too."  She said softly, giving Catherine a small smile.

Catherine smiled back at her, squeezing her hand gently.  Her eyes widened as a thought occurred to her.  "Come with us!  Were going to Florence for a few days.  I want to get away from Paris; you're more than welcome to come with us.  Trowa wont mind at all."

Midii recoiled as Trowa's name was mentioned.  She got up suddenly.  "Uh, thanks Catherine but I would be intruding.  I-I have to go now.  It was good to see you again."  She made her to the trailer door only to have it opened by a tall, emerald eyed, uni-banged man.

"Catherine are - " Trowa abruptly stopped when he realised the person in front of him wasn't his sister but that woman he was trying hard to forget.

Catherine smiled broadly at her brother.  "Trowa!  Remember Nanashi? – I mean Midii Une!  She came to see how I was and I invited her to go to Florence with us but she doesn't want to go.  Convince her Trowa!"

Trowa dimly heard what Catherine was saying; he was trying not to drown into Midii's eyes.  He could hear himself say, 'Yes, you should come.' 'Not a bother at all.'  He blinked dragging his eyes away from her.

Midii shook her head again, her eyes suspiciously watery before she pushed past Trowa mumbling a good-bye to Catherine.

"Midii!"  Catherine yelled at the retreating figure.  Her shoulders slumped as Midii disappeared in the midst of trailers.  She shook her head. "Poor girl…" She stared at her brother who was staring blankly into space.  "Trowa, you ok?"

Trowa snapped out of his trance, blinking several times before speaking.  "Yes, Cathie.  Are you ready?"

Catherine stared at her little brother doubtfully, before letting it slide, "Nearly.  I'll be ready in thirty minutes.  I'll meet you in front."

Trowa nodded and made his way back into his trailer.  He turned the knob before stopping, the door slightly ajar.  He stepped away from his trailer and sprinted towards the direction Midii had run to.  He reached the perimeter of the Circus trailers, now on the footpath, streaming with people walking in both directions.  Even with his height advantage he couldn't see a certain blond head.  Slumping slightly, he walked slowly back to his trailer.  Pushing his door open he almost ran into the figure standing by his door.

"Midii."  He stared at the woman in front of him, resisting the urge to touch her face.

Midii watched him, nervously, "Uh…I-I wanted to see…I – uh, how are you?"  Why did she always feel so clumsy and nervous around him?

He continued to stare at her.  Midii felt like she was wilting under his hawk gaze.  Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go see him.

"You should come with us to Florence."

Midii released the breath she didn't know she was holding. She shook her head.  "I can't.  I – do you have any idea how hard it was just to come see you?  I – I don't even know why I came…I can't get you out of my head."  She let it all out, tears spilling down her cheeks.

Trowa was torn from sweeping this wonderfully sad woman up into his arms or to ignore those tears.  Years ago he fell for those tears and it had lost him his mercenary 'family'.

So they just stood there.  Time passing them by, neither one moving.

         ********************

  - Luxemburg Hall (Council Headquarters), Earth – Real Time - 

"The meeting is in five days.  On the fourth day, all the members will be here.  We eliminate them all at 0300 hours.  We will detonate the entire area – we don't want to miss anyone."  Said Henry, his cold blue eyes boring into the three sitting around him.

"How about the Preventers sent to sweep and guard the area?  How will you hide that many explosives?" questioned Giovanni, he still didn't like this plan but he wasn't about to risk his family's chance at world domination.

"Ha!  I am the Black Council.  We are the creatures of the night.  Those Preventers will never see what we hide."  Scoffed Mario Sr. He didn't need his walking cane anymore; the old powers welling inside the Heads of Council had made them all decrease their ages.

"Then it's settled.  The Outer Council will perish in four days.  We will rule."  Emeline smirked; she looked like she was twenty-one again.  She looked strikingly similar to her granddaughter, Sylvia.  

Giovanni didn't like how easy this was going, "How about Red?  Dorothy or Bethany hasn't sent a reply back.  If they don't come, we will still have Red as our leader."

Henry laughed snidely.  "Even if she didn't come, she is still weak AND has no idea that she carries the old powers, anyway.  We could kill her and Bethany like that - " He clicked his fingers together, "If they don't attend the meeting, it doesn't matter.  We know where they are and before they can react to the news, they'll be dead."

Giovanni wasn't convinced. "How do you know that Dorothy doesn't know about the powers?  She IS red.  She's stronger than us."

Emeline sighed.  "Giovanni, dear, stop being so pessimistic.  We can defeat Red, easily.  All we need to do is to hit Dorothy with our powers at the same time.  Bethany will be a piece of cake – she didn't enter Subspace so has had no contact with the magic that flows there now.  In five days time, we will have eradicated all magical opposition.  Humans have always been easy to conquer.  We should have the world within a month."  She smiled triumphantly, the plants in the room, growing healthier and stronger.

Giovanni narrowed his eyes at Emeline, she had never spoken so authoritatively before.  He sighed, looking around the table.  She was right.  He shook his head, his doubts and conscience silenced as Henry and Mario Sr. told them the plan in detail.

         *********************

  - Florence, Earth – Real Time -

Bethany smiled as she saw her driver pull up into her driveway.  'Catherine and Trowa are here.' The more the merrier she thought.  Relena and Heero had come the day before, by plane while Catherine and Trowa had taken the train.  Catherine wanting to see the scenic views of country France and Italy.  'Too bad Sally and Wufei couldn't make it.' She thought as she ran down the stairs to greet her new guests.  She remembered her talk with Sally that yesterday afternoon.

_"So the meeting we're guarding is really a Council meeting?" asked Sally.  "I thought so.  Doesn't that mean you'll be attending?"_

_Bethany shook her head, "Dorothy is claiming to be too 'exhausted' to be able to attend.  She's just being lazy and a certain blond, blue- eyed person is also distracting her." Bethany smiled, 'Quatre Winner as a cousin-in-law was going to be fun.'_

_"So you're a no show as well?"  Sally smiled back at her.  "Not that I'm blaming you or anything.  It would have been nice to see you again."_

_Bethany's eyes brightened.  "You're always welcome at my home, Sally.  And Wufei as well."  She gave a wink.  "If you can, try to drop in.  Miss Relena and Heero are arriving today and Catherine and Trowa are coming tomorrow.  They'll all be here for a few days."_

_Sally nodded, "We'll try.  How about Duo and Hilde?  They can't make it either?"_

"They're still celebrating their anniversary.  I didn't want to disturb.  I tend to do that a lot." Bethany said teasingly.  Both women laughed.

_"Ok, then.  I'll talk to you later, Bethany.  Thanks for the invite.  We'll try to make it."  Sally logged off as Bethany waved good-bye._

Bethany walked past the parlour room, where Miss Relena and Dorothy were playing chess.  She could see her cousin cheating and hid a smile.  The sound of Relena laughing was a welcome sound to both Heero and Bethany.  When they had arrived, Relena, (understatement of the year) wasn't pleased that Heero had lied to her about her schedule; she was still a little awkward around Bethany and vice-versa.  But as the night progressed she relaxed, surrounded by them and Quatre and Dorothy.  To Heero's relief she hadn't gotten into a frenzied need to accomplish everything.

Bethany stood out on the marble steps of her mansion, smiling broadly at Catherine who was climbing out of the limo, stretching her legs and arms.  She waved to Bethany. "Hi!"  She moved away from the open door, still stretching.

Bethany expected to see tall, muscular legs, a shock of dark chocolate hair and deep emerald eyes emerge from the limo but instead a diminutive woman with blond hair and grey eyes stepped out, looking at her nervously, like she was expecting Bethany to tell her to get off her property.

"Bethany, remember her?  This is Midii Une.  I hope you don't mind me inviting her to come."  Catherine said, almost apologetically. 

Bethany shook her head, smiling at the nervous woman.  "No, no!  The more the merrier, I say!"

As she said that, Trowa finally stepped out of the limo, stretching his long body.  She smiled at her last guest.  "Now everyone's here! Come in, come in!"  She motioned her butler to grab the bags and her guests followed her up into her home. 

Dinner had gone along smoothly, the atmosphere friendly and inviting.  _'I'm tired Quatre.'_  Dorothy thought, looking over to where Quatre was standing, talking to Trowa.  They were all in the lounge room, dubbed the 'entertainment room' by Bethany since the entire entertainment system was in there.  Quatre suddenly stopped talking, standing straighter as he turned to gaze back at Dorothy. _'Are you up for a walk?'_

Trowa stared at his friend who had suddenly stopped talking and was now just staring at his lover.

_'Let me think about it.'_ Thought back Dorothy before smiling mischievously and turned back to listen to the conversation Bethany, Relena and Catherine were having.

Quatre smiled back, continuing to stare at Dorothy's pale gold silk hair, forgetting he was talking to Trowa, until Trowa coughed discreetly bringing him back to Earth.  "Huh?  Oh!  Sorry Trowa!  I kinda spaced out there…" He laughed nervously.

Trowa just nodded. "I could see that."

Quatre blushed, picking up where he left off, "uhh…so that girl, Midii is from your past…She seems really nice.  I'm sure if you - " Quatre stopped again, his face turning a deep red.  "Uhh…Sorry Trowa but I need to…ummm...Can we talk later?  Sorry, again."

Trowa nodded and Quatre walked quickly out of the room.  That's when Trowa realised Dorothy had already left.  He sighed inwardly.  He couldn't ask Heero for advice on what to do about Midii.  Heero just didn't seem the type to dole out advice about relationships.  Besides, he wasn't even in the room but outside making sure all the perimeters were safe.  He watched Catherine talk amongst Bethany and Relena.  Midii was in her room, claiming to be tired and wanting sleep.  'I should check on her.  Make sure she doesn't try to disappear again.'  He thought making his way upstairs to the bedrooms.

Quatre walked outside near the maze area, a light breeze tousling his hair slightly.  '_Dorothy, Dorothy, where are you?_' he thought.

'_Right behind you_.'  He felt two slender arms wrap themselves around him, hugging him to her body.  She gently kissed his neck before nipping his ear.  He twisted around in her arms, wrapping his arms around her, their faces inches away from each other.  

"Now about those images you sent me…" he whispered into her mouth before capturing her lips with his.  They stood there for quite some time before the need to breath became too great and they parted.  Dorothy ran a hand through Quatre's hair making it even more cutely dishevelled.  "I take it you like?…If you're up for it we could do it tonight."  She smirked, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Quatre returned her gaze, "I thought you were tired."  Giving her neck small hot kisses.

'_Tired of our guests.  Not tired of you_.' She relayed her thoughts to him and he lifted her up in a fireman's carry, heading towards their bedroom.  "Bethany did say you needed as much bed rest as possible." He chuckled; yes 'bed rest' was a very good thing.  They made it to the bedroom without too much fuss (and no one saw them).  Quatre placed Dorothy carefully on the bed, before locking the door firmly behind him.  He thanked Allah the rooms were relatively soundproof.  Making his way over he could feel Dorothy's predatory eyes on him; he just smiled innocently.  He loved being prey to her.

Relena covered a yawn with her hand.  She was sitting in front of the vanity, combing her hair.  The past couple of days had been exactly what she had needed.  After the initial anger and annoyance at Heero for lying to her subsided, she realised how lucky she was to have him.  He cared so much.  She sighed placing the comb on the vanity.

"What are you thinking about?"  Heero asked from behind her.  A wry smile appeared on Relena's face.  'Always straight to the point, Heero.'

Relena faced her fiancé.  "You.  I was thinking about how lucky I am to have you."  She felt him hug her close; her eyes closed just breathing in his scent.  "Thank you."

Heero just nodded.  She was still insecure about what had happened but she was strong.  He would always be there for her.  Relena felt a sharp pain in her mind before it disappeared.  Heero felt her tense and he held her out at arms length, looking into her eyes.  "What's wrong, Relena?"

She shuddered, blinking several times to get her bearings.  "Nothing.  Nothing.  I think I have a headache coming along."

Heero wasn't thoroughly convinced but he let it slide, leading her to the bed and embracing her tightly to him.  Relena hugged him back, the pain in her head slowly diminishing.

The moon shone on the koi pond, giving it a beautiful silvery colour.  Bethany shivered slightly as the night got colder.  She hadn't been able to sleep and had decided to take a walk outside.  Now sitting at the same place she had sat just a few days ago, she let out a contented sigh.  She had always been a people person.  Getting to know Dorothy's friends better was a joy.  Even that new girl, that Gatekeeper seemed so nice.  Life just felt *good*.  However, even with everything running along smoothly, she still had an uneasy feeling niggling in the back of her mind.  She couldn't place it, though.  She shook her head.  'Must be the Dermail genes coursing in my veins.  Of course I would be thinking something bad was about to happen.'  She rolled her eyes, getting up from the bench to head back inside.  She gaped at her house, which had a certain room glowing a bright red.  'Sheesh Dory; You're supposed to be resting.'  She shook her head, grinning.  'Dorothy was healing much faster than she or Dorothy herself had expected.  She had put it down to Dorothy being a conductor of sorts for all five Colours when she had entered the Darkness.  There hadn't been any signs of the full power of Red except Dorothy did give out a glow when she and Quatre did certain things. You could always tell when they were getting some.' Thought Bethany as she made her way inside.  Unbeknownst to her and her guests, something stirred… **"Soon."** the wind picked up suddenly and violently before returning to normal.

         *********************

   - Luxemburg Hall, Earth – Real Time -

The scanners picked up nothing.  Sally hid a yawn, staring at the screens inside the van she and Wufei were sitting in.  It was a little past midnight, May 1st, the date of the meeting of senior Romefeller members upon them.  It had been rather quiet, even with some of the media still hanging around.  No threats of any kind.

"Wonder what they're going to discuss?" Sally asked Wufei, sipping her fourth cup of coffee.

"Their relevance, now that the Darkness is gone."  Answered Wufei, never taking his eyes away from the screens. "They'll probably ask why they don't have their 'powers'.  They're part of Romefeller - its all about greed and power."

Sally raised an eyebrow and nodded.  She hadn't expected that answer but it was a good point.

"Time." asked Mario Sr. to one of the Locandro men.

"0030, Sir.  When should we detonate?"

"In five minutes.  The Black Council is out, right?"

Steven Locandro nodded to his leader.

"Good.  The rest of the Council is still there?"

Steven nodded again. "The Greater Council including the Heads of Council are all sleeping soundly.  Red Council is the only one not accounted for.  We received a vid-message an hour ago, sent to us by Bethany Montague.  She said she would be here at 1900hrs, May 1st."

'So those two butanas won't die with the rest of these snivelling idiots.' Mario Sr. dismissed Steven with a gesture.  'Red will be killed last.  No problem.'  He smiled maliciously as he counted the seconds going by.

This had to be the most boring assignment he had ever gotten.  Mike Jennings, fixed his slightly crooked Preventer jacket.  Patrolling the outer perimeter of the Luxemburg Hall was ridiculously tedious.  This was his twelfth mission out on the field and this rated right up there with watching a salvage yard of space parts suspected of weapons making (in truth the man who owned the salvage yard was making a female robot because he was lonely).  This was so boring, even the night animals must have fallen asleep, he hadn't heard one chirp or tick in half an hour.  He stopped suddenly, realisation dawning on him that it would be rather strange if all the insects stopped making noise.  Before he could take a step further, explosions rocketed the inside of the Hall, blowing apart the sleeping quarters before more explosions caved in the roof and what was left of the building burst into flames.  The last thing Mike Jennings thought of as a piece of debris fell on him was 'Well, I wasn't expecting this.'

         *********************

Person who says, "I told you so":

Hmmm…I just blew up the Greater Council…Oh boy…why did I do that?!  All will be explained when I write Chapter 2! (Ok that's a lie, nothing will be explained because I'm as confused as you are!)  Oh! And before I forget, I want to thank all the people who reviewed TCoL after I had finished it!  Double thanks to Midii Une (I'm a HUGE fan of your Price of Redemption fic!) and was just wondering if you think I wrote Midii right? (since I haven't actually read the manga, only seen the anime!)  ANYWAY, thank you all for the reviews, again! R&R, C&C and flames AND e-mail (setm_29@hotmail.com just in case you guys don't know ^_^) are all VERY welcome!!!  See you guys next time!  Thanks again Anne! ^_^    …………….My sister wants to draw Trowa……….///_-    Happy?! Bye now!


	3. Chapter 2: Powers Revealed! Lets All Run...

DISCLAIMER: GW owned by someone that isn't me.  I am SO SORRY to everyone who reads this for getting this out so late.  Aside from the writers block, I just got my 1st round offer to university! (Computer Science, would you believe? Watch me blow up all the computer labs! I'm that BAD! ^_^)  I'll TRY t oget Chapter three out much faster…hopefully!!!! Please enjoy!

Joy to My Life

Chapter 2: Powers Revealed, Lets Run Away Now!

By: J.B. Santiago

  - Florence, Earth – Real Time -

Beep.  Beep.  Beep.

Bethany opened one eye to stare at the vid-phone that had so cruelly woken her up from her slumber.  Half her face still hidden by her pillow, she hit the 'busy' button on the vid-phone, grumbled about rude night callers and turned her back to the machine; placing the pillow over her head.  She was drifting into slumberland when it started again.

Beep.  Beep.  Beep.

Giving a frustrating growl, she threw her pillow at the vid-phone knocking it off her nightstand.  The beeping stopped and Bethany sighed happily.  Grabbing another pillow she hugged it to her, eyes already sleeping.

Beep.  Beep.  Beep.

Bethany gave an uncharacteristic yell before throwing off all her blankets and pillows, getting on all fours, groping for the stupid vid-phone.

"What?!"

"Bethany?  Sorry about calling so late but I think you should watch the news right now." Sally said in a no nonsense voice.

"Sally?  Wha? …Ok, just a minute…" Bethany said, flushing slightly at being so rude to Sally.  She felt around the floor for the remote control that had also been knocked down when she threw the pillow at the vid-phone.  Pointing to the wall opposite her, a wooden panel moved to reveal a large screen TV, it turned on to reveal the home-shopping network.  "Sally, what am I looking for?" asked Bethany as she quickly flipped channels.  Sally was about to reply when Bethany whispered, "Oh my…" The screen showed a reporter standing in front of a building ablaze, while fire fighters were fighting a futile battle against the flames.

"It's Luxemburg Hall.  It blew up at 12:35am.  Wufei and I were situated outside the gates.  We didn't detect anything.  No heat signals, no traces of explosives, nothing.  I think mag - " Sally stopped short from saying 'magical', " I think something other than your normal terrorist group was responsible for this."

Bethany stared shell-shocked at the screen.  She shook her head, "Survivors.  Have there been any survivors?"

Sally grimaced.  "None, yet.  I called to tell you that I think you and Dorothy could be in danger.  Whoever did this is obviously someone the Preventers can't stop."

"This is impossible!  The Darkness has been defeated!  There can't possibly be anything that would have known about the Greater Council!  I-I…" Bethany felt at a loss for words.  This could not be happening!  Hadn't the Darkness been defeated?  The Greater Council gone…William, Myra, Veronica – hell, even Alessio!  Bethany shook her head again at Sally.  "You didn't detect anything?  No traces of human involvement?"

Sally was about to reply when everything went black.  Bethany stared at her TV, which had turned off as well.  The only light now entering the room was from the moon shining through the balcony windows.  A blackout?  Her house got its power from the two huge generators located near the servant's quarters about fifty metres away from the main house.  She had gotten the generators because she couldn't afford to have blackouts when she had an underground base to take care of - Generators that had been replaced a week ago.  Bethany turned on the small torch she kept under her pillow – a habit from years of being afraid of the dark.  She quickly tried the light switches in her room and in the hallway.  Finding none of them working, she knocked loudly on Dorothy's room, fighting the urge to yell out her cousin's name as the dark shadows in the hall seemed to move on their on accord.  A heavy hand landed on her shoulder and she forgot all about her calm/cool façade and screamed blue murder.  Dorothy's door opened and she tumbled backwards into Quatre who had opened the door.

Scrambling behind Quatre she pointed her torch at the figure that had touched her shoulder.

"T-Trowa!  Oh!  It's just you!"  Bethany let out a loud sigh and giggled in relief.

"I heard screaming," said Heero behind Trowa.  He was holding a protective arm out in front of Relena who was sleepy eyed but still concerned.  Next to her stood Catherine and Midii all looking at Bethany expectantly.

"Are you ok, Bethany?" asked Quatre, worried at how jittery Dorothy's cousin seemed.

"Please tell me Bethany, that you woke us all up for a good reason?" said Dorothy, who was wrapping her robe around her thin nightgown.

The thumping in her heart had gone down enough for Bethany to retort back, "Hey!  I didn't wake up Trowa!  He was already awake when I knocked on your door!"

Everyone looked at Trowa who just shrugged and said, "I couldn't sleep.  I was going to the kitchen."

They all turned to look at Bethany now.  "Oh."  She laughed nervously, the light from the torch moving up and down.

"Why are you carrying a torch anyway, Bethany?  Aren't the lights working?" asked Relena.

"That's what I wanted to tell you!" Bethany said.

"You woke us all up to tell us that the lights aren't working at one in the morning?"  Dorothy raised an eyebrow, giving her younger cousin a 'are-you-mad-to-interrupt-my-sleep-for-THAT?' look.

Bethany shook her head vigorously.  "Not just that!  Luxemburg Hall has been destroyed.  Sally called me just now; she says a human terrorist group couldn't have done this.  There was nothing on radar or anything!  She was going to tell me more but the power went out.  I don't think these two things were a coincidence, Dorothy!"

Silence descended on the group, before Dorothy asked, "Were there any survivors?"

Bethany shook her head. "Sally said they hadn't found any yet.  Dorothy, think about it – An attack on the members of the Greater Council! No traces of human involvement!  I think we'll be targeted next." the fear clearly evident on Bethany's face.

Dorothy nodded quickly, "I think it would be best if we move to another location.  Bethany, where are the switches for the emergency lights?"

"Their downstairs in the hall closet.  I'll go turn them on."  With that, Bethany rushed down the semi-spiralling stairs, the light from her torch disappearing into the dark.

The only light now shining in the hallway came from the moon through the massive arch windows right at the end of the hallway.  "Everyone grab only the essential things, we need to get out of here fast." 

Everyone nodded, all scrambling back into their rooms trying to get as much of their belongings in the dark.  

"Ouch!"  Bethany hopped on one foot, holding her other shin, which she had just hit the table leg with.  'Sheesh, even with a torch, you still bump into things!' she chastised herself silently before continuing down the long hall to the closet beneath the staircase.  The closet door opened with ease as she stepped into it.  She pushed past a couple of stacked boxes, to reach the back wall.  The torchlight shone on a number of switches and levers.  The emergency light system had to be turned on manually since it had its own small generator.  Bethany hoped it still worked; she hadn't tested it in almost a year.  Turning half of the colourful switches and pulling all the levers up or down; a small whirring sounded and a dim orange light brightened the closet.  Smiling happily, she stepped out of the closet observing that the hall was now dimly lit as well as the staircase, which had a dim light at the base of each step.  She grabbed onto the railing of the stairs and was about to run upstairs when a gloved hand snatched its way around her mouth, forcefully pulling her back.  The intoxicating fumes of chloroform emanating from the gloved hand caused Bethany to fall into unconsciousness but not before she saw a glimpse of someone in front of her, one thought running through her mind as her mind shut down, 'You!'

Relena ignored the throbbing headache that had unexpectedly come back again.  She saw Dorothy frown, staring at the staircase where Bethany had gone down to turn on the lights.  Quatre gave her a concerned look, squeezing her hand in comfort.  

"Should we go downstairs?  Maybe Bethany's waiting for us there." Said Relena, gripping Heero's hand more for balance since the headache was making her feel nauseous.  

Dorothy nodded curtly.  "Yes, I think we should go now."  

The gang headed down the dimly lit stairs, finding themselves in the foyer; no trace of Bethany anywhere.

"Bethany?  Bethany!?" Dorothy called out, "Bethany, come on.  This is no time to be playing games." She said it haughtily but Relena could hear the nervousness in Dorothy's voice.

"Bethany's…detained at the moment." Said a voice behind them, near the hall closet.  Everyone turned quickly to the voice, to see a tall, olive-skinned, slicked black hair man leaning against the staircase.

"Alessio." Dorothy spit out the name in disbelief, "Where's my cousin?"

Alessio smirked.  A dark energy emitting from him, making the surroundings around him darkened into blackness.  "Dorothy, Dorothy, Dorothy.  Think of this as an…exchange.  My brother's life in exchange for your cousins."

The Black power was beginning to suffocate Relena.  She could see Dorothy cringing ever so slightly.  Quatre seemed pained as well.  She stole a glance at Heero and Trowa – Heero had his hand poised to grab his gun, while Trowa hadn't moved at all.  Relena's eyes widened, as she realised no of them could move at all.

"Alessio.  I want my cousin here. NOW."  Dorothy gritted her teeth together.  A bead of sweat trickled down the side of her face, as she tried to move any part of her body without succeeding.

Alessio pushed off from the staircase, straightening as he sneered in their direction.  He ignored Dorothy, looking past her at Heero. "Don't even bother with the gun, Mr Yuy.  Even if you could move, you'd never be able to hit me."  He laughed cruelly, walking towards them until he was inches away from Dorothy's face.  "I'm going to enjoy this…" He crudely caressed her face, a leer etched on his own before he shot out an arm in the direction of Quatre, a black beam of energy shooting out, engulfing Quatre.

Dorothy felt as if a hundred knives had just been plunged into her body, the pain so all encompassing she couldn't even scream – the only thing holding her up was that the Black power.

Alessio stared in disbelief at the man beside him.  He hadn't even flinched.  Quatre stared defiantly at Alessio – he hadn't felt anything, "Stop this insanity, Alessio.  You don't know what your doing."

Alessio shook his head.  "No!  No! Not possible!"  He glared at Quatre then at Dorothy who had her eyes closed.  "I guess I'll just kill you now, then!"  He shot more Black energy at Dorothy who didn't even open her eyes.

A loud yell of pain and Quatre fell to the floor, the amount of energy coursing through him causing him to fall.  Blood slowly seeped from numerous cuts and gashes that had suddenly appeared all over his body.

"Quatre!" Relena tried unsuccessfully to move, as did Catherine and Midii.  Trowa had moved slightly forward but was still too far to check on the fallen Quatre.  Heero had a hold of his gun but he couldn't take it out of the holster.

"What the?!" Alessio gave a confused look at Quatre and then at Dorothy who still had her eyes closed.  He stepped back surveying the scene before him.  A knowing look dawned on his face and he shot at Quatre again, watching knowingly as Dorothy fell to her knees screaming.

He sneered.  "Hmmm…This is for my brother!"  He gathered a large amount of Black energy into his hands raising it above his head, aiming it at the fallen bodies of Dorothy and Quatre when Dorothy opened her eyes.  He stared into her eyes.  Her red eyes.  Then everything went red.  The ball of Black energy dissipated, as Alessio shielded himself from the Red energy.  He blinked a few times, feeling the Red energy dissolve into the air after a few intense moments.  A red afterimages still blinded his eyes but he could see clearly enough.  The group of seven that had been in front of him just moments ago were gone.  Disappeared.  Vanished.

"Ma va funculo!"

********************

  - Milan, Earth – Real Time - 

Duo snored loudly in time with the grandfather clock down the corridor of Bethany's penthouse apartment.  Hilde snuggled closer to her naked husband, also sleeping soundly.  A loud BOOM and CRASH sounded and Duo shot up from his comfortable sleeping position, sending Hilde flying onto the floor.

"I want fries with that!" Duo mumbled, rubbing the sleep form his eyes.  "Hilde?  Hilde-babe?  Where are you?"

Hilde rubbed her bruised head.  "Ugh.  What was that for?  I thought you **loved **what we did tonight."  She glared then gave a come hither look at her husband.

Duo gave her an all too cute look and joined her on the floor.  "Hold that thought, I think I heard something in the other room."  He lifted her up, placing her on the bed before heading towards the door.

"Ahh, Duo-honey, don't you think you should put some clothes on first?" Hilde looked up and down Duo raising an eyebrow.  "Only I'm allowed to see you like that."

Duo grinned sheepishly before finding his boxers thrown over a lamp and putting them on.  He opened the bedroom door slowly giving a thumbs-up to Hilde before disappearing fully into the corridor.  Hilde hastily put on Duo's shirt and her underwear, making her way to the door to join her husband.

"ARGHH!"  Duo almost took a swipe at Hilde with a vase when she tapped him on the shoulder.  "Hilde!"

Hilde giggled at Duo's exasperated expression.  "You were taking too long!"  She giggled again.  "Come on.  Lets find out what that noise was."  She grabbed Duo's hand leading them through the rooms of the apartment, turning on the lights in each room.  They reached the lounge room, which looked like it had been hit by a tornado.

"What the - "

"Owww…" A voice said from behind an upside down couch.

Duo picked up a fallen chair and headed towards the couch.  He almost dropped the chair on his foot when he saw who it was.

"Heero?!"

         **********************

  - Subspace – Real Time -

BANG.  The cell door slammed shut, leaving its prisoner completely in the dark.  Bethany gingerly raised a bloody hand to her face.  Alessio had literally thrown her about with his other Black Council cronies.  Minutes past as her body began to slowly heal its self.  She reluctantly got up from the position she had landed in when they had finally gotten tired of abusing her and had thrown her into this dank, dark cell.  Her body still ached but in half an hour she would be as good as new.  She smiled wryly to herself, looking around the cell, for some semblance of light.  Finding none she stood up, one hand on the wall and walked around the cell.  After doing a complete tour of the cell, she sat down, leaning on the wall opposite the door and waited.  After minutes of silence, she got up and walked to the door, her eyes adjusted to no light.  

"Ummm…Hello?  If there's anyone guarding the door, I hope you won't mind me singing!"  Bethany knocked on the door, placing her forehead to the cold metal surface.  Shrugging, she started to belt out a cappella of the opera piece 'Time to Say Goodbye'.  Finishing the song with a flourish, she placed her ear towards the door.  "You didn't like that?  Ok, how about this one!"

Bethany cleared her throat before singing 'Respect'.  She hit the door every time she had to spell respect.  After finishing she again placed her ear to the door.  Sighing, Bethany nodded in the dark.  "Ok.  Not an R&B fan.  I know!  Everyone's a Celine Dion fan!"  She hummed the start before wailing out 'All By Myself'.  Just as she was about to wail the second verse, the door swung open to reveal a very annoyed looking Steven Locandro.

"SHUT UP!  Do you know that you're TONE DEAF!"

Bethany squinted at Steven, her eyes adjusting to the sudden burst of light, no matter how dim.  She smiled innocently at him.  "I know."

He glared at her before slamming the door in her face.  From behind the door, Bethany heard him yell, "One more WORD from you and I'll break so many bones, you'll need a MONTH to heal!"

Bethany huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.  "Rude."  She muttered before an evil smile spread across her face. 'No words… hmmm…"

Steven gritted his teeth as sounds like 'la' 'ba' 'na' wailed in the cell.  'Little bitch,' he thought, about to open the cell and break every single bone in Bethany's body when a terse voice barked out his name.  Turning quickly to his superior he, saluted Alessio Luciano.

"Bring the girl to my father."  With that message, Alessio disappeared in a shroud of Blackness.

'Lucky butana.' Steven thought, opening the cell door and dragging Bethany towards the upper levels of the fortress, digging his hands and fingers harder than necessary into her skin.

The journey up was uneventful except when Bethany 'accidentally' tripped and kicked Steven in the shins.  They arrived later than expected to the room of the Head of Black; Bethany sporting a rather deep gash across the forehead, which was healing very slowly.  Steven gave a curt bow to his leader before closing the double doors shut.  Bethany took in her surroundings from her seat in a plush, black leather chair.  The room was expansive, a wall to floor window making the place bigger than it already was.  The place was dark, the only light coming from a hanging bulb in the centre of the room.  She was rather surprised to see the outline of a few plants in the corners of the room.  In front of her was a large, dark brown oak table, with a remote control the only thing decorating the top of it.  She stared at the high-backed swivel chair opposite her, waiting to face the leader.

The chair slowly circled to face her to reveal one face she hadn't been expecting. 

"M-Mario?!  You're dead!"

         ***********************

Meanwhile, back in Milan…

Hilde lifted up one of the sofas, giving a little 'oompf' as she moved the heavy seat.  "Catherine?!  Duo help me with Cathie!"

Duo let go of Heero's hand, making him fall backwards again.  "Oops!  Sorry Hee-man!"  He helped Heero up who started going through the wreck for Relena.

"Trowa?!" Hilde shook her head, "Why do I sound surprised?" She muttered to herself as Trowa silently walked over to Cathie to see if she was ok.

Midii stood up shakily, leaning on a broken coffee table, trying to get her bearings.  Hilde looked at her confused before clicking her fingers together and exclaiming, "You're the girl who just up and left from the hospital!"

Midii blushed profusely, nodding once.

"Hilde meet Midii Une, Midii meet Hilde Maxwell."  Said Catherine groggily behind them where she was using Trowa as a crutch; blood was slowly dribbling out of a cut on her right leg.  The two girls forgetting the awkwardness rushed towards Catherine, Midii ripping her jumper sleeve off, to use as a wrap around Catherine's legs to stop the bleeding.

"Relena."  Heero picked up a dazed but not hurt Vice Foreign Minister from the floor of the lounge room, where she was centimetres from hitting the French windows.

Observing who was in the room, Relena whispered, "Where's Dorothy and Quatre?"

Silence greeted her as everyone looked at one another.

"H-here…" Everyone turned in relief to see Quatre standing in the doorway carrying an unconscious Dorothy.  He unsteadily walked towards them, Duo quickly turning over a couch so Quatre could put Dorothy down.  He carefully placed Dorothy on the couch, before falling heavily to his knees, resting his chin on the edge of the couch and closed his eyes.

Hilde and Duo stared at the room and its haphazard guests.  "You guys look like hell!  Is someone going to explain what the hell just happened to turn this room into ground zero or do I really not want to know?"

"The Greater Council got blown up, Sally warned Bethany then Alessio kidnapped Bethany and was trying to kill Dorothy and Quatre but then Dorothy started to glow red and we all ended up here."  Relena answered, condensing everything neatly.

The married couple stood dumbfounded at Relena, before Hilde nodded.  "Ok, then.  So what's the plan?"

Dorothy coughed, making everyone look worriedly at her.  She tried to sit up but her head wouldn't allow it so she just turned her head to the side to come face to face with Quatre.  '_Quatre…Quatre are you ok?_'

Quatre nodded, helping her sit up so they both sat on the couch now.  Her eyes had no traces of red in them, as she dizzily gazed around the room.  She saw Catherine being held up by Trowa and pointed at her leg.  "You're bleeding."  She whispered dazed; her hand she was pointing with suddenly glowed red, shooting energy at Catherine's wounded leg.  A collective gasp sounded, as Catherine stared at her now healed leg, good as new.  

Dorothy stared in surprise at her hand, "What? H-how - " Then everything that had just happened that night came flooding back to her.  Her eyes getting a steely look to them, as she straightened and stood up with Quatre who was holding her hand protectively.  "Bethany.  That bastard took Bethany.  We need to find her now."

"Whoa! Whoa! Could someone please explain to me – in detail – what is going on!?" Duo exclaimed flailing his arms wildly to get everyone's attention.

Dorothy stared at Duo for a few minutes before nodding slowly.  "It seems that the Black Council has somehow tapped into the old powers.  Alessio tried to kill me with the Black power but it seems that it has only awakened the Red power in me." She paused, pointing again to Catherine. "I need to get to Luxemburg Hall; that's where it started; my best chance is to start there."  She looked at everyone else, "My best guess is that the Black Council are readying themselves to take over the world.  I know how clichéd this all sounds but it would be wise if you all get as far away from Europe as you can."  Dorothy felt Quatre squeeze her hand tighter.  He would be coming with her, no matter what.

"Dorothy, no!  You can't fight this yourself!  I'll-I'll help." Relena looked at Heero's shocked face then to Dorothy's equally astonished one.

"Miss Relena, this is not the time to be brave.  This is one battle none of you have fought - "

"Neither have you, Dorothy.  Besides, it's always good to have an ally." Relena cut in.

Hilde asked questioningly, "Ally?  Relena, if what Dorothy's saying is right then we'd be up against something that can't be destroyed with a mobile suit or negotiated in a conference."

Relena smiled sadly, "I have the Green power.  Bethany found out when – when we went through time." She fidgeted slightly under the astonished gaze of everyone in the room.

'This is going to be a long night,' thought Duo as everyone began shooting questions to Relena and Dorothy.

         ********************

The man in front of her laughed.  "Hn.  My son and I did have startling similarities."  He leaned forward his hands clasped together in front of him.  "Miss Bethany, lets get down to business shall we?"  He sneered at Bethany; still shocked at who was in front of her.

Bethany blinked a few times, clearing her throat in the process, "What do you want with me?"  She didn't like the way he was staring at her – like she was fresh meat and he was the lion about to devour it.  This man, Mario Luciano Sr had actually been one of her grandfather's friends, before they had moved to Hawaii after Bethany's parents had died.  Her grandfather had had a falling out with Mario over certain policies for Romefeller and had lost touch ever since but Bethany remembered him, a hunched over man, scars running all over his face, sun wrinkled skin and faded eyes.  Nothing at all like what he had turned into now.

Mario just smiled at her, he unclasped his hands, tapping the table with his right hand and lifting the remote control with his left.  "I know what you did."  He said, pointing the remote at the wall beside them.  It slid open revealing a rippling pool of black colour replacing the wall.  The pool suddenly stopped rippling to reveal images rapidly being shown to show a film.  Bethany couldn't stop a gasp as she saw herself, Sally and Hilde in the control room under her home, listening to the news of the Vice Foreign Ministers death in the Peace Summit Talks.  Then she saw herself enter another room, with Sally and Hilde staying in the control room.  A few minutes later she and Relena blasted into the control room, making the room look like a tornado hit it.

She turned back to Mario.  What was she supposed to say?  How the hell did they get that?  There were no surveillance cameras in the control room.  Bethany stopped herself from banging her head against the desk.  Of course!  These people were part of the Black Council.  They could get into anything.  She assessed her current dilemma. 'This is bad.  So very, very bad.  What would Dorothy do in this situation?  Oh crap, I'm so dead.'  Bethany groaned.  "Mr Luciano.  I have no idea what you're talking about." She gripped the chair she was sitting on, to prevent herself from fidgeting.  'Yeah, lets play dumb, that'll really help you.'  A part of her thought sarcastically.  Great even her mind was deserting her.

Mario banged his fist into the table, causing Black energy to radiate out of it and shake the table and the floor underneath it.  "Miss Bethany," he hissed, "you will either build that time machine for me or I will kill your family and all your hapless friends."  The black energy subsided, as he began to control his anger again.

Bethany almost felt relieved.  He had finally told her why she was here.  At least with that she could argue more effectively. "Build you," she pointed at him, defiantly her mind beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel, "a deranged, delusional monster – a time machine?  Do you really think I would be able to trust you to keep your word?  How do I know you wont just kill them all after I build you the machine?  I'm not some dumb blonde, Mr Luciano."

"Are you willing to sacrifice your family to prove that I'm not bluffing?"  Mario raised an eyebrow.  "Maybe this will change your mind."  He waved his hand at the pool, which rippled before showing Bethany her grandfather.  He was laying down on his bed with Steven Locandro standing over him.  Her grandfather didn't seem to notice the tall man standing over him.

Bethany whispered to herself, "Can't he see him?"

"No he can't.  Your grandfather was a great man." Mario sniggered as he talked to the pool. "Steven, kill him."

Bethany eyes widened in horror as she saw Steven plunge his hand into her grandfather's heart.  The old man grabbed his left chest, oblivious to the hand squeezing his heart.  "STOP!  STOP IT!  You're killing him!"

Mario murmured 'stop' to Steven, who kept his hand just a little bit longer in the old man's chest.  Bethany watched as her grandfather wheezed and coughed, her grandmother running in to see what was the matter.  Mario waved his hand and the pool rippled into Blackness again.  "Now, either you build me this machine or everyone you love will die sooner than they have to."

Bethany nodded slowly, still facing the pool.  She blinked the tears away.  This bastard was going to get the satisfaction of seeing her cry.  "I want to see my family every day – ALIVE – or I wont make the machine."

Mario nodded, smiling.  "Sure, sure.  I will make sure the viewing pools are placed in the lab you will be working in.  I wouldn't want my genius engineer to not be working."  The door opened to reveal another member of the Black council.  He motioned to the man and he roughly picked up Bethany by the arms and began dragging her back to her cell.  As she neared the door, Mario called out to her, "It was nice doing business with you."

         ***********************

Person who is so busy because Uni starts too soon and is NOT ready for it!!!:

Hmm….Is this going too fast?  I don't know, I feel like I'm missing a paragraph or so somewhere.  Oh! I would also LOVE to thank all the people who have reviewed this fic and TCoL (mama-sama and blue eyes you are TOO KIND!).  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! To everyone for giving such – umm there isn't really a word to describe it, since GOOD doesn't cover it! Reviews! ^_^ I'm babbling aimlessly now…hehe…sorry! A big THANK YOU to my beta-reader ANNE!!  Without her, this would be a really lousy fic! I'm sorry for not e-mailing you sooner Anne! ^__^ please forgive! Ok I'll stop now! Oh and as always, if you can please R&R, C&C or e-mail and FLAMES!


	4. Chapter 3: Where Did All the Safe Places...

DISCLAIMER: Why do I keep writing a disclaimer? Thanks to everyone who reviews! Not just this fic but my other ones as well! A HUGE THANK YOU to all of you! Have a smiley face! ^_^ 

Anywho! This is a TRIBUTE to one GREAT fanfic writer and all-round nice person – JAID SKYWALKER (THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for finishing 'On the Wild Frontier'! I LOVED IT!).  Well they do say the best form of flattery is imitation! ^_~ 

In the tradition of Jaid's opening and closing paragraphs in 'Wild Frontier'! :

JB: I've always wanted to do a chat thingie with my muses!

JA (annoying bratty little sister): Uh, Hello! You don't have muses! Just voices in your delusional mind! (cackles insanely…insanity runs in this family ^_~)

JB: Shut up! Those voices write these fics, you know!

JA: So you admit you hear voices! Ha! I knew it! (more insane laughing)

JB: Didn't I lock in you in a mental bin in 'Dedicated to Sanh'? (shameless plug, ^_^)

JA: *sigh* that never works, you ninny!

JB: Don't call me a ninny!

JA: NINNY! NINNY! NINNY!

Major punch up under way…

Bethany: Um…hello JB and JA?  Remember people are trying to read Joy to My Life! *mumbles angrily* Though I don't know WHY…Its so unfair! Why does Dorothy get all the magical powers! I'm family too!

JA and JB: *collective sweatdrop*

JB: Uhhh…sorry about that people! (waves to the readers who haven't left yet) Umm…Bethany could you please go back to your cell, your still supposed to be a prisoner.

Bethany: *more angry mumbling* fine, fine.  I'm going to talk to my manager about this…I DESERVE to be the star!…

JA: *points to her hapless big sister* Only you would create a character that has their own manager.  I told you we could've used Maree or Sanh but NO, we had to use –

CLUNK! BANG! THUD!

JB kicks frying pan under her bed and drags JA's unconscious body into the laundry room, locking the door behind her…

JB: *innocent look* What?! ^_^ Hope everyone enjoys Chapter Three!

         ************************

Joy to My Life

Chapter 3: Where Did All the Safe Places Go?

By: J.B. Santiago

This _italics_ indicates flashbacks

This _'italics'_ indicates thought-speak

         - Milan, Earth – Real Time -

Trowa watched the commercial plane travel down the runway, gradually accelerating upwards.  He continued to watch it until it disappeared from his window view.  The morning sun reflected off the windows, warm light cascaded downwards onto Milan International Airport.

"They'll be safe, Trowa."  Quatre said soothingly to his best friend, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.  "Catherine and Midii will be safer on the Colonies."

Trowa just nodded and headed towards the exit, Quatre falling in step with him.  They made their way outside to one of the Preventer jets that would take them and the others to Luxemburg Hall to meet up with Sally and Wufei.  Careful to block their ears from the booming jet engines, they boarded the plane; the door sealing shut once they had both gotten in.  Trowa took the last seat; sitting behind Hilde and Duo.  The two sat as close together as the seats made possible – they hadn't even argued about going – if one went the other would come as well.  Sitting opposite to them was Relena and Heero.  Those two, on the other hand, had argued.  Heero was adamant that Relena would not come with them even if she held the power of Green.  Relena had other ideas.  She wasn't going sit back this time, not if she could be useful somehow.  Trowa smiled ever so slightly, the look on Heero's face when Relena refused to listen to him was priceless.  Trowa buckled his seatbelt as the captain's voice boomed out of the intercom.  In a few minutes they would be in the air just as Cathie and Midii were now.  Trowa had agreed wholeheartedly with Dorothy to get Cathie as far away from the danger as possible.  When she had said Midii should accompany Cathie, he had almost hastily said 'no' but then questions would be asked and he didn't want everyone to know about the real Midii Une – the Midii Une he knew or thought he did.  He didn't know why he was hiding her past from his friends; he didn't know why the more he thought about Cathie with Midii he felt his sister would be safer.  It was Quatre who had booked the commercial flight to Montreal, where Cathie and Midii would then board a private shuttle to one of Quatre's homes on Colony L4. Trowa shook his head slightly, staring down the aisle where he could see Quatre leaning towards Dorothy, not speaking although they looked like they were conversing.  With Dorothy somehow gaining magical powers and Quatre's own unique ability to feel what others were feeling, Trowa guessed that they might be able to communicate without words.  He turned his attention to outside his window as the plane began to tilt, ascending into the sky.

_'Trowa seems ok about leaving his sister and her friend on the Colonies.  Rashid and the other Maguanacs are going to protect them…Are you ok, Dorothy?'_ Quatre gently asked telepathically, placing a warm hand over Dorothy's on the armrest.

_'They've got my cousin and I have no idea why! Of course I'm not alright!'_ Dorothy let out an angry sigh before smiling apologetically at the man sitting beside her.  _'I apologise Quatre.  I'm not angry with you.  I – its just that, everything was going right and now…'_ She trailed off, gazing into Quatre's azure eyes.  '_…What am I going to do?  I don't know how to use these – these 'powers'! Hmph. I almost wish we could settle this with a good old fashioned duel.'_  A small smile crept up onto her face as Quatre blushed, his free hand unconsciously covering where she had stabbed him all those years ago.

_'We'll find a way, Dorothy.  I'm sure Bethany is safe.  They wouldn't have gone to such trouble if they wanted to hurt her,'_ reassured Quatre, returning the smile; squeezing Dorothy's hand in comfort.

_'I hope you're right.'_ She glanced out the window, as the plane resumed a horizontal position in the sky.

_'Do you think we'll find anything useful in Luxemburg Hall?'_ Quatre asked.

Dorothy shook her head slightly, '_I doubt the Black Council would leave any helpful clues.  Preventers would have already combed the place.  The best thing to do would be to talk to Sally and Wufei and go from there.'_

"Ok." Quatre whispered, leaning in closer, kissing her on the forehead.  He could feel her emotions so strongly – anger, guilt, fear – he didn't know what to do but to be there for her.  He embraced her, ignoring the armrest, holding her tightly to him.

         *************************

   - Subspace – Real Time -

Bethany stole a glance at the large screen displayed in the right side of the room she was in.  The screen was divided into two sections.  In one section, she could see her grandparents in their family home in Hawaii.  In the other she could see her older brother in a meeting for the company he worked for.  They were alive and well, completely oblivious to the fact that their granddaughter and sister was being held by magic wielding megalomaniacs in Subspace and it was only her presence in Subspace that kept them alive.  When she had asked them to show her Dorothy and her friends, Alessio had almost beaten her to a pulp.  The only thing that stopped him was his father who explained to Bethany that Dorothy and her friends had somehow managed to elude the SeekerSystem – the Black Council's pride and joy in the technological field in the now obliterated Greater Council.  The SeekerSystem or SS was able to find anyone in a 50kilometre radius away from the machine and transmit images of their location, position, exactly what they were doing, onto large screens.  Now with the Black power fuelling them they could find anyone anywhere on Earth and Outer Space.  BUT they couldn't find Dorothy, which gave Bethany a small ray of hope of being saved.  She sighed inwardly, returning back to her task of building that infernal time machine.  The lab she was in was an exact replica of her underground base.  She didn't want to know how they could have replicated it down to such minute details except for the escape routes.  She brought up her blueprints of the time machine onto the large screen in front of her.  It had taken her awhile to put everything together again since she had deleted all the files.  She hadn't told Mario that she had only partially completed the time machine theory and that one time when she had gone back in time to save Relena the machine had broken down completely, leaving them in a time limbo.  She didn't want to risk him finding that out and hurting her family.  Bethany squinted at the control panel screen.  Her eyes were killing her.  She'd been working for almost eight hours straight and her fingers had cramped up hours ago.  She gazed wearily at her 'guards' who were blocking the only way out.  The two men stood there glaring back at her.  Every two hours or so two other men would take over.  She recognised all of them as belonging to the Black Council.  There were the three Locandro brothers – Steven (who was particularly nasty every time he was on guard duty), Adam and Mark; the Di Cartelli family, consisting of Lucas Di Cartelli and his cousin, James Di Cartelli.  The last family in the Black Council aside from the Head family (the Luciano family) was the Saladino family – the father Augustus Sr and his two sons, Caesar and Augustus Jr, and nephew Nicholas.  Bethany remembered going to her first Council meeting when she was eighteen (the year she found out Dorothy was alive and when a letter written by her mother was given to her on her eighteenth birthday explaining everything about the Greater Council) and seeing the Black Council for the first time – they were the largest contingent in the Greater Council and they all reminded her of the Mafia.  Bethany went back to staring at the screen, blinking tired eyes as the memories came back to her.  She hadn't been far off with the description of 'Mafia' for the Black Council.

"A break would be beneficial to you, it seems…" 

Bethany jumped slightly at the voice behind her.  She swirled around on the swivel chair to come face to face with the bottom of a black silk tie.  Her tired eyes worked their way up to the face with the black tie around its neck.  "Mr Luciano.  Trying to scare me wont make me work faster."

Mario Luciano Sr leered at her.  "Please -," his voice dripped with artificial sweeteners, " - call me Mario.  I see you're working hard.  Although your work rate has dropped in the last hour or so."

Bethany glared at the man, "Well, _Mario_.  That happens when you work eight hours straight."  She gasped as his hand suddenly appeared around her neck.

Mario squeezed tighter; he could snap her neck in two so easily.  He stared into her light jade eyes sparkling with fear before letting go, Bethany immediately holding her neck and gasping for air.  "You're right, _Miss Bethany._"  He snapped his fingers and one of the guards, James Di Cartelli, walked up to him.  "Take our _guest_ back to her _room_.  She needs all the rest she can get."

James nodded, half dragging Bethany towards the door and down to the lower level to her cell.  Mario watched as they disappeared, the other guard, Adam Locandro, following them.

Mario closed his eyes, pressing a hand to his temple, images of the wrecked Luxemburg Hall flashed in his mind.  A twisted smile crossed his face.  "Alessio!" He bellowed, as his son materialised in front of him in a puff of black.

"Yes, father?"

"They are at Luxemburg Hall.  Go and do the job you should have accomplished already!"  Mario sneered at his son.

Alessio was nonplussed.  "But father, how can you be sure - "

"Are you questioning me?!"

Alessio straightened up; he knew when to stop.  "No, father.  I will leave immediately."  He disappeared in more Black smoke.

Mario turned back to the computer screens.  All of them projected an image against a blue background.  **"Soon."**  Mario blinked, tearing his eyes away from the hypnotic pull of what was before him.  'Yes, soon,' he thought disappearing in a cloud of black.

         *************************

  - Remains of Luxemburg Hall, Earth – Real Time -

"Wow.  This place looks like it was nuked by Wing Zero's beam cannon." Duo said to no one in particular.  They had arrived twenty minutes ago and were going through what remained of the Hall; the Greater Council were going to meet in.  The old building had crumpled completely, giving no resistance to the bombs that rocketed through its hallowed walls.

"The sleeping quarters blew up first, a series of five explosions that would have killed anyone in there and if it didn't the ceiling falling on top of them would have done it." Wufei explained mechanically.  The group followed him as he walked further into the smouldering rubble, like a morbid tour group. "The Great Hall was detonated second - three explosions, then the dining hall, conference room and foyer were reduced to ruins with successive explosions."  He stopped where the foyer had been a day ago.  Relena could make out the outline of a chandelier, now all charred and black, smoke coming out of its metal frame.  Her headaches were coming back again.  She breathed in deeply, coughing as she inhaled ash, not helping her headache in any way.

"How many casualties?" asked Heero.  He was on edge, looking for any signs of threat to Relena.

"The 26 members of Romefeller and seven Preventers patrolling the perimeter and guarding inside as well."

Dorothy shook her head and spoke for the first time since arriving on ground zero, "No.  Not 26 people.  There were 15 members in there.  The Black Council is the one responsible for this.  Only they would have the ability to bypass your security; only they would be so bold – so _cruel_ to destroy the Greater Council; only they would do this."  Dorothy clenched a fist, unclenching suddenly, when she saw Red power begin to form in her hand.  Quatre wrapped his hand around hers, glancing sideways, making sure no one else had seen it.

Wufei stared at her, surprised. "What was that?" He pointed to Dorothy's hand.

"I acquired the Red power when Alessio Luciano tried to kill us yesterday but not before he kidnapped Bethany." Dorothy stared at Wufei's disbelieving face. "I think it would be better if I explained this in one go, where's Sally?" They hadn't seen the woman since arriving at the ruins.

Wufei nodded, going back into soldier mode, "She's at the hospital treating people who suffered minor injuries from the blast.  We'll take one of the trucks."  He motioned them to follow, leading the gang to a Preventer truck.  He gunned the engine, heading towards the Mercy Sisters Hospital.

Alessio walked past a Preventer unnoticed.  With the building sending up so much smoke into the atmosphere, daylight was nonexistent.  He could walk around the grounds undetected using the Black power, which was being fuelled by having no light.  He pushed over a Preventer who was analysing the debris.  He laughed loudly (though no one could here it) as the Preventer looked around wildly for the person who did that and finding no one, blushed furiously hoping no one had seen him fall.  "Pathetic human." Scoffed Alessio. He continued to prowl the grounds, looking for any signs of that blasted blonde.  "Argh! This is stupid!" He kicked at the metal frame of what looked like a chandelier.  Father wasn't thinking when he sent him here.  Alessio blew some ash in another Preventers face, causing them to sputter and hack as the offending ash went in their windpipe and up their nose.  At least he could have some fun with these pathetic humans.  Alessio froze abruptly.  He had walked a few steps away from the chandelier and he had felt it.  The Red power.  He scanned the area quickly moving forward then stopping again.  He frowned then stepped back again.  He felt the Red power again.  He dropped to his knees, digging at the ground.  'What am I doing?' He thought, shaking his head at digging at the debris.  He stood up and moved around where he felt the power.  It was only in that one place and it was getting fainter. 'How did the Red power get in this spot? …Unless this was power residue from someone using the power earlier…then she had been here!' Alessio face contorted into a smile.  Hmmm…so father wasn't completely losing it.  He could almost smell victory.  He headed for the Preventer's main control tent.  He knew that Chang Wufei was part of the Preventer team that was supposed to guard Luxemburg Hall.  "Time to have a little chat, with an old _friend_," Alessio murmured to himself, laughing as he pushed another Preventer into the ruins.

         *************************

  - Mercy Sisters Hospital, Earth – Real Time - 

Sally wiped the sweat off her brow, as she stitched up a sleeping Preventer's arm.  This Preventer had been struck by falling debris, about twenty metres away from the Hall.  He would be ok, receiving only a broken leg and glass embedded into his arm.  She had lost count, hours ago on how many patients she had treated.  She thanked the heavens this hospital, so close to the Hall, had been relatively empty and were able to take in such an influx of wounded people.  

"Dr. Po, you should rest.  You've been such a wonderful help but it would be to your benefit if you take a break." A person behind her softly said.

Sally smiled at the nurse, standing in the doorframe.  "I think you're right.  Well he's done.  I'll be in the cafeteria if you need me."

The nurse smiled back and nodded, leaving Sally to go back to her rounds.  Sally sighed and stretched, rubbing her sore neck.  She walked out of the room and into the Staff lounge, placing the borrowed white coat and stethoscope on the round Formica table. Stretching once more she headed to the elevators.

The elevator opened and the gang poured out, meeting a surprised Sally down the hall.  Relena stayed inside the elevator her headache getting worse.  She pressed another level and the doors began to close.

Heero looked to his side, expecting Relena to be there, when she wasn't, he whipped around back to the elevator just in time to see Relena mouth, 'Cafeteria' before the doors slid shut.

"Relena."  He rushed forward pressing the button.

"Hey buddy.  Relax.  She just went to the cafeteria."  Duo had also seen Relena say 'cafeteria'.  He placed a firm hand on Heero's shoulder. "C'mon, she'll be ok."

"Hello everyone.  She went to the cafeteria?  I was going to go there as well."  Sally said behind them.  "We'll meet her down there, then."

The gang nodded and entered the elevator again.

Relena walked down the quiet corridor.  She wasn't on the floor where the cafeteria was.  Hell, she didn't even know what floor she was on but something; something was pulling her here.  She reached the end of the corridor with the window view of the city; two doors on either side of her were closed.  She turned to the left door and slowly pushed it open, closing the door behind her.  She sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair next to the sleeping patient.  She stared at the patient who was wrapped nearly from head to toe in bandages.  'Why am I here?' Relena thought, gazing at the patient.  She leaned in closer, trying to get a better look at the person.  She couldn't even tell if they were female or male.  Letting out a sigh, she rubbed her temples, trying to sooth out the annoying headache.  She stood up slowly, "I'm losing it." Shaking her head she took a step towards the door before her mind exploded in pain, causing her to stagger backwards into the beeping machines, before she fell to the floor unconscious.

"She's not here."  Heero headed towards the staircase.

"Hey, wait!"  Duo exclaimed, throwing the others an apologetic smile, "You guys tell those two everything.  I'll go help find ojousan."

"I'll come with you, Duo." Hilde didn't want to be too far away from Duo and besides had already heard the whole story.

I'll help too." Said Trowa, heading for the elevator.

Sally watched as the gang was reduced to four.  She looked at Dorothy and Quatre expectantly, "Ok.  So what's going on here?"

Sally and Wufei sat quietly as Dorothy and Quatre told them everything that had happened from when Sally had called Bethany.

         ********************

  - Subspace, Earth – Real Time - 

Bethany blinked as a pair of rough hands dragged her to her feet.  "C'mon!  Up you get!  The boss wants you working again."

Bethany groaned, "I've barely had over an hour to rest.  You can't be serious?!" 

She received a slap across the face from her guard, Nicholas Saladino, a burly young man, with black hair and eyes.  "Shut up and move!"  He twisted her arms behind her back and continued to push her forward.

Bethany bit her tongue as her body began to heal the tiny cut Nicholas had given her from a ring on his hand.  'Relax, Bethany, breath.  Think of something else…like a double choc mocha ice-cream covered in dark chocolate.'  Bethany sighed inwardly as she felt her stomach grumble at the thought.  'Ok, don't think of food.'  She'd been in this blasted fortress about three Subspace days or about a day in real hours and the only thing they'd served her was bad imitation gruel, water and more cuts and bruises to last her two lifetimes.  Although, part of her mind reasoned, you wouldn't have so many bruises if you'd just keep your mouth shut.

"Here we are, _Miss"_ Nicholas pushed her into the lab, standing imposingly in the doorframe.

Bethany gave him a sideways glare before sitting on the swivel chair, the screens showing exactly the same thing when she had left it an hour ago.  The theory was nearly finished soon she would be able to build it.  She leant on the panel, her hand pushing back her fringe, resting on her forehead.  'Dorothy, where are you?' she thought, 'I don't know how to delay this any longer.'  She looked at the screens, 'I wonder where they put the generators to run this lab.' She thought offhandedly.  Sighing she began to type.  Humming 'La Donna e Mobile' she typed in the energy figures.

"AAHHH!"  Bethany screamed suddenly getting up so fast the chair fell backwards.  "That's it!"  She did a little jig on the spot stopping only when she was face to face with Nicholas. 

"Get. Back. To. Work!" He yelled to her face.  

Bethany just smiled at him impishly.  "Aye, aye, captain!"  She mock saluted him, picked up her chair and began typing furiously on the panel.

Nicholas stared at her suspiciously before walking back to guard the door.  Bethany glanced as he walked away from her.  Yes, energy was the key.  She smiled at the screen in front of her.

         **************************

   - Winner Estate, Colony L4 – Real Time - 

Catherine soaked up the breathtaking beauty of one of Quatre's homes.  Even with it being on a colony where everything was man-made, this place seemed so natural.  It was two in the afternoon on Colony L4, the sun was shining; the fountains glistened in the light, plant life sprouted everywhere, animal life co-existed happily with everything there.  

"Miss Catherine, Miss Midii, please follow me to your rooms."  Abdul said with an exaggerated bow pointing towards the mansion.  Midii nodded politely, Catherine telling Abdul to just call her Cathie.  

Catching her reflection off the golden-framed mirror on the side of the wall beside her bedroom door, Midii paused and wrinkled her noise.   After not getting any sleep since Alessio had tried to kill Dorothy and Quatre, her appearance was to put it kindly, 'scruffy'.  If she were being brutally honest it would have been 'mobile-suit-pancake-with-moon-craters-on-the-side'.  Midii shook her head, 'when did I become overly dramatic about my looks?' she thought heading inside the extravagant bedroom. Placing her duffel bag on the bed she examined the room thoroughly.  A walk-in-closet, bathroom with spa, French doors leading to balcony, secret door behind bookcase (leading to the garage, she found out), king-size poster bed complete with rich purple covers and fluffy pillows.  Midii half expected a peppermint on the pillows.  The room was bright, sunlight streaming through the now open French windows.  The walls were decorated with a Monet (probably original, mused Midii) and a Picasso (also probably an original).  She stepped out onto the marble balcony, savouring the warmth from the filtered sun.  Leaning forward on the Romanesque railing, she spied several Maguanacs prowling the pristine grounds.  One of them saw her and smiled and waved.  Midii waved back awkwardly, realising that someone else was waving at the Maguanac.  Catherine smiled at Midii from across the adjoining balcony.  She watched as Midii gave a weak smile and walked back into her bedroom.  Catherine sighed.  She knew something was going on between Midii and her brother but what?!  Focusing on this and not the tumultuous events of the past night.  She sat on the railing, her back facing the garden maze.  Even with the warm air she still shivered involuntarily.  Catherine unconsciously traced the area of her leg Dorothy had magically healed the night before.  Memories of the time she was in Subspace, in a dank, dark cell waiting to die, kept replaying in her mind.  She never wanted to be in that situation ever again but…then why did she have doubts about being here?  Seeing Alessio, the same man who had helped her brother find her and Midii, trying to kill people she cared about was to say the least disconcerting.  She pushed off the balcony, jogging inside her room and out onto the mezzanine and down the spiral staircase.  She ran a little faster, reaching the garden maze in record time.  She continued to jog, running through the maze trying to clear her mind of silly thoughts.  Thoughts that said she shouldn't be here.  That she should be with everyone else.  That she should be trying to help the man that helped save her life.

         *************************

         Meanwhile back in Subspace…

"Finished!" Bethany yelled out cheerfully, twirling her seat towards Nicholas who was standing at the door, arms crossed over his chest, glaring at the green-eyed blond annoyance (to him anyway).

"Good." Said a voice behind her.

Bethany gave a little yelp, swinging the chair towards the voice; to see Mario Luciano Sr staring impassively at her.  "You know, I wont be any use to you if you give me a heart attack."

"You have finished the theory.  Now build the machine." He stated, still not giving any emotion.

Bethany not irked by Mario inclined her head towards Nicholas, "But first, I need to talk to you privately."

Mario's eyes narrowed slightly but he nodded and Nicholas bowed to his leader before disappearing, leaving Bethany and Mario all alone in the beeping replicated lab.  "Well?"

Bethany smiled at him innocently and pointed to the screens.  "Well you see, Mario.  When I first tested the time machine, it – too put it frankly, blew up on its first trip back."  She pointed to a screen showing weird looking graphs, with bars going up and down, "I was using the equivalent of lightening to power it and that was only enough to send me to the past once.  It was only through pure luck and chance that Relena and I got back to the present."  Bethany pressed a button and it showed more graphs only these ones overlapped each other perfectly.  "And since I didn't want to be a cold, vicious person like yourself, I found the perfect energy source to power the time machine."  Bethany smirked at Mario who was still impassive.  She pressed a series of buttons and all the screens showed the same thing.

Mario stared at the interlocking strands of dark matter being projected onto the screens.  It looked strangely familiar.  "What is that?"

"That," Bethany said triumphantly, "is the old power.  Specifically the old power after it has been released through one of the Council members or more specifically, you; the Black Council."  She smiled thinking, 'now lets see how far you're really willing to take this, Mario.'  

Mario snorted.  "Hmph! So we power it!  All the better!"

"The amount of power, I'm talking about to send you back in time and get you back here safely is the equivalent of a hundred thunderstorms."  She stood up suddenly, sending the swivel chair a few feet back.  She stared straight into the eyes of Mario's prideful face.  "That equals at least three of the Black," She held up at a hand to stop Mario from speaking, "That equals three of the Black dead."

"Dead!?" Mario sputtered angrily.  "You said it is only the energy from them that can run it.  If their dead, the old powers wont go through them!"

Bethany just smiled sweetly, thoroughly savouring the taste of victory. "Oh, didn't I mention that you need that persons soul as well?…hmm…I can't believe I left that out…"  She said the last part sarcastically.

A large hand slammed against the panel, so hard that it rattled some of the bolted down equipment.  Mario began to emit Black energy, as Bethany stumbled backwards away from him, wondering if she went too far.  Then the energy vanished and Mario smiled evilly at her.  "Power and soul.  How quaint. So be it."

Bethany stared at him incredulously, "You really are evil.  You're going to kill your own Council?!  They wont follow you if you do! Don't you see?! There are more of them; they'll easily kill you!  You're mad!"

He just laughed in response, the maddening look in his eyes never disappearing, "So you DO care about me."  He laughed again, clicking his fingers loudly.  Nicholas appeared next to him.  "Nicholas, bring our guest back to her room.  She needs to rest after doing such excellent work."  He laughed louder this time as Bethany, still staring at him unbelievingly; was carted off by Nicholas.  

Alone in the lab, Mario looked once more at the screens, still showing the same dark strands of matter.  "You cannot stop me, Bethany."

His laughter seemed to shake the room.  A whispered word floated in the room, disappearing amidst the sounds of hysterical laughter.  **"Soon."**

**         *************************

 - Winner Estate, Colony L4 – Real Time -

Midii tossed and turned in the king size, fluffy bed.  Even with all the lavish accoutrements of Quatre's mansion she could not, for the life of her, sleep.  "Argh!"  She tossed the silk sheets off and headed downstairs towards the kitchen, silently, not bothering to turn on any lights on the way.  She found the kitchen easily, she was a spy after all; she had memorised the place already.  Opening the cellar door beside the kitchen, she carefully made her way down the wooden steps, the only light was a single light bulb but it was enough for Midii Une.  She lightly ran a finger through the rows of exquisite and expensive wines, pulling out a few to read the labels.  Finding one she liked near the end of the stacked rows, she went upstairs, back to the kitchen, to drink herself into sleep.  She wasn't the only one with the same idea.

"Midii!  You startled me!" exclaimed Catherine who was holding a butter knife with her left hand, sliced bread, salami, ham and lettuce rested on her arms, a jar of mayo in her right hand and a whole cucumber rested under her chin.

Midii took in the sight of Catherine at three in the morning carrying the makings of a sandwich.  She suppressed a giggle and smiled at Cathie.  "Sorry, I didn't know anyone else was awake."  She grinned, "You make the sandwiches and I'll pour the wine," she said holding up the dusty bottle.

Catherine nodded, smiling back.  "Good idea."  She placed all the ingredients with the other stuff on the kitchen table and in minutes had created two good-looking, great tasting sandwiches.  The two women sat down at the table and clinked glasses.  "Cheers."  Both said, eating and drinking in silence for a few moments before Catherine spoke, "So.  What IS going on between you and my brother?"

Midii almost choked on the salami and ham, saving herself by taking great big gulps of red wine from the bottle.  "What do you mean?" she asked after drinking half the bottle.

Catherine just arched her eyebrows at Midii, "Awww, c'mon.  I see how you look at him and how he looks at you.  I'm his big sister, I know these things."

Midii sat still and silent, looking at her half-eaten sandwich.  She turned to Catherine, who was looking at her expectantly.  Midii turned back to the sandwich.  Catherine stared at the girl beside her, she had always looked cautiously at the girls Trowa dated; she was his big sister after all.  But this girl seemed to already know Trowa; she wasn't awed by his striking appearance – she almost seemed afraid of him.  Catherine placed her hand on the girl's shoulder and said softly, "Hey, it's ok if you don't want to talk about it."

Midii smiled gratefully at her, she was about to say 'thank you' when the sound of glass breaking was heard.

Midii stood up quickly, her spy instincts kicking in.  Catherine stood up as well albeit a bit shakily, "What was that?"

Midii didn't answer, grabbing a steak knife from the counter and slowly walked towards where the sound came from.  Catherine followed behind her carrying a knife of her own.  "Cathie, what are you doing?  Stay in the kitchen, it'll be safer."

Catherine shook her head.  "No way am I going to be left in a huge room by myself.  Besides I throw knives for a living."  She gave a determined smile to Midii, who seemed to be considering arguing back then let it slide.  "Ok, but stay close to me, ok?"

Cathie nodded, wondering what profession Midii was in, mentally reminding herself to ask later.  The two made their way up the stairs, Midii all the while, wondering where the Maguanacs were.  They spotted the broken window, the shards of glass glistened in the moonlight.  Midii peered cautiously out the window, seeing no one she turned to Catherine, "Cath - " Midii stared in surprise.  Catherine was gone.  She had been standing right next to her just a few seconds ago.  "Catherine? Catherine where are you?"  She looked at the floor for any suspect footprints.  Nothing.  Where'd she go?  Midii looked back at the broken window then back to where Catherine had been standing.  A man stood in the same place.  She lunged at the intruder only to be covered in darkness.

Rashid looked down hallway, everything was in its place; nothing out of the ordinary.  He knocked on the door of Miss Catherine.  When he received no reply he opened the door slightly and called out her name.  Still not getting a response he opened the door fully and walked into the bedroom.  The bed was unkempt; no noise could be heard from the bathroom.

"Rashid!  Rashid!  Come quick!"  Abdul ran in the room, breathless, motioning for Rashid to follow.  "Miss Midii isn't here and Aran says there's something really strange on the surveillance cameras!"

Rashid followed the breathless man to the control room.  He gazed at the security screens.  "What is it?"

"Look."  Aran pointed to one screen.  It showed the hallway where they had just been, only judging by the time on the upper right corner it was 3:27am.  A window broke and a few minutes later the two women came on screen.  Midii looked out the window and then –

"She disappeared!" Aran nodded to Rashid.  He paused the tape.  "Catherine just vanished.  I've replayed that over and over and nothing.  She just…disappears."

Abdul gulped, "Then what happened to Miss Midii?"  He pointed to the frozen Midii on the screen.

Aran nodded impatiently, "I'm getting to that.  Hers is even stranger!"  He pressed play and the tape continued.   The three saw Midii look around her, then for some reason she lunged forward and vanished.

"Oh, Allah…" Abdul whispered, "She disappeared too."

"And not only that!"  Aran nodded towards the screen, and Rashid and Abdul peered at it closely. Abdul swore.  Rashid barrelled out of the room already trying to think of a way to tell his master.  On the screen it showed the broken glass forming words, 'the End is Near' before the glass went back into the broken window, the cracks disappearing to reveal the perfect cool, clear glass.

         *******************

Person who can't believe she's actually started writing Chapter 4:

Can anyone else see the striking similarities to Colours of Life? ^_~ Well it IS the sequel!  A BIG THANK YOU to ANNE! I would also like to mention mama-sama, who not only reviews ALL the time but is still writing Detective Wing! (yeah! I will review soon! ^_^) Thanks again to all who read, and to everyone who reviews you make my day! ^_^ R&R, C&C, flames (at least something like a flame) and e-mail are MOST welcome and appreciated! Thanks again! …The word 'Thank' appeared eleven times throughout this fic! Hehe ^_^


	5. Chapter 4: Dreams and More of the Unexpe...

**YEAH!  I FIXED THIS CHAPTER! (AMAZING ISN'T IT?!) NEW SCENES HAVE BEEN ADDED, SO GO READ!!!!**

DISCLAIMER: You know this one already!  OH! OH! Everyone, FIGGY'S not DEAD!!! Yeah! Yeah! Now all of you go read her fics! They're MUCH MUCH better than mine!! ^__^ Go on, read them, then come back and read Chapter four! ^_~

Joy to My Life

Chapter 4: Dreams and More of the Unexpected.

By: J.B. Santiago

Earlier that day…Remains of Luxemburg Hall, Earth 

Alessio felt like throttling whatever got in his way.  But he held his temper at bay, barely.  First, that damned Wufei Chang was nowhere to be found and these worthless Preventers had no idea where he was.  It was hard work probing a human's mind for useful information.  It took a considerable amount of energy and none of these miserable humans had the information he needed.  He couldn't believe his bad luck.  First the fruitless search of said Preventer then the large smoke clouds began to dissipate and were beginning to scatter allowing the sun to break through the clouds.  With light affecting his power he teleported back to one of the family homes.  They had opened the Subspace portals in all the family homes of the Greater Council since they were the only ones left.  He needed to replenish his energy stepping through the portal into Subspace he could sense the old powers swirling around him.  He would need to go to the Pool to replenish his power again.  With the old powers swirling around him he could use a small amount of that energy; so he teleported to the Pool.  If a normal person saw the Pool they would think it was, well a normal swimming pool.  However, if they stared at it for a little longer they would see the 'water' change colour; blues, greens, yellows, reds and of course black.  The 'water' was really the old powers, contained in a powerful shield that allowed the power to come in but not come out.  The only way it could get out was through a Council member.  The first people to try the Pool were the Heads of each Council.  Then Mario secretly led the rest of the Black Council into the Pool and then…BOOM.  Alessio smirked as he remembered Luxemburg Hall going up into flames.  He had grown a deep resentment to the other Council members, all of them regarded the Black Council as the thorn in the side.  Those pompous, self-righteous bastards got what they deserved.  His face hardened, as the Black power flowed through him.  He needed to tell his father that he hadn't found those annoying nitwits.  He stayed in the middle of the Pool, not wanting to go yet, and get screamed at by his father.  He knew exactly what his father would say: 'Can't you do anything RIGHT?!' or 'Your brother would have gotten the job done by now!' or his personal favourite - 'You're a FAILURE to this Family!'  The Pool turned completely black, as Alessio's thoughts grew darker.  Shaking his head angrily, he stepped out of the Pool and teleported to his father.

         *********************

  - Unknown Place – Time Unknown - 

_"You can't really be considering doing this!" A voice yelled to someone across from them._

_"It is our destiny and our right.  I will do this and I will do this with or without you." A voice answered back._

_Relena could barely see through the haze of green, she couldn't even make out an outline of who was talking.  The voices were mumbled and ambiguous, it reminded Relena of listening to a bad frequency, with the static replaced by a constant hissing sound._

_"Consider what you're doing!  Don't be foolish!  The world has changed, you can't possibly expect everything to go back the way it was!"_

_"We were meant to rule.  It is what was prophesied so long ago.  You cannot stop destiny and fate."_

_Relena tried to shift from her current sitting position but she couldn't seem to get her bearings._

_"I won't be a part of this!  I will stop you, I'll tell rest of them!" _

_Relena heard a loud 'bang' followed by silence. She gasped as the green haze lifted somewhat to reveal a room with a round table, white marble walls and fern trees in each corner of the room.  She knew this place!  It was a meeting room at Romefeller Headquarters.  She had been in there countless times before discussing policy with Dorothy.  She peered at where the two voices were coming from.  She could hear them but couldn't see anyone._

_"Then I will have to make sure you can't do that, then." The voice from its placid tone turned into a vicious one._

"What…? You – you…we're…But you're my - " 

_Then Relena felt the pain, as the green haze washed over her._

   Meanwhile back at Mercy Sisters Hospital…

Heero held Relena's hand, as she watched her breath in and out slowly on the hospital bed.  Trowa stood near the far window, giving Heero some privacy.  Duo and Hilde had gone to tell the others they had found Relena in a hospital bed, the doctor telling them they had found her unconscious on the floor in another patients room.  Her vital signs were normal, it just seemed like she had fainted.  The doctor had taken some tests to make sure she was all right.  'Relena, please wake up.' Heero pleaded with his fiancée silently.  The only answer was the beep of her heart monitor.  Heero placed his other hand over the one already holding Relena; he was about to lean closer when the heart monitor started beeping faster.  He could see her heart rate speeding up, the lines jumping erratically.

"Trowa get the doctor!"  Heero didn't even need to say it as Trowa had already gone.

Relena's hand gripped Heero's as sweat broke out on her face.  The beeping sound seemed to get louder to Heero's ears, as he watched helplessly as Relena began to go into an epileptic fit.

"AAHHH!" Relena screamed, shooting forward straight into Heero's chest and strong embrace.  Tears began to soak his shirt, as Relena hugged him tightly to her, burying her face in his shirt.

"What is going on - " The doctor stopped as Heero glared at him, signalling him to get out.  Trowa closed the door behind the doctor, standing guard at the door waiting for the others.

"Relena.  Look at me."  Heero gently tilted her head towards his.  "What is it?"

Relena blinked back the tears, still breathing heavily as her heart hadn't calmed down fully yet.  "Heero."  She said shakily, leaning forward into his arms again.

         **************************

  - Subspace – Real Time - 

Dark. Dank.  A cell.  Catherine's mind groggily noticed her surroundings.  She was in a dark, dank small cell.  She screamed.

Her head hurt.  No that was a lie.  It didn't hurt, it was just going through every conceivable torture known to man. Midii turned her throbbing head to the side or as much as she could move it without wanting to chop it off.  She saw a single beam of dim light from a crack on the bottom of the door.  She was in a small room, it felt more like a large box, as she gradually groped around her surroundings.  'Where was Cathie?  Where am I?' she thought as the drums in her head gradually stopped beating.  Then she heard it.  Screaming.  For a few seconds, memories of being in that cell; hearing other Gatekeepers screaming as their lives were taken away, rushed back to her.  She stumbled forward slightly, leaning heavily onto the door.  'No…NO…It couldn't be happening again,' her mind became a jumble of thoughts. The screaming continued.  Midii pressed her hands against her ears, trying to block out the screaming.  She could still hear it.  Shut up. Shut up.  SHUT UP!  She stumbled backwards hitting the back wall and sliding down until she was curled up into a ball, her hands still pressed strongly against her ears.  A tear slid down her pale skin.  Then another.  Then another.  She didn't blink them away letting them fall onto the cold ground, as she focused on the single beam of light in front of her.

Alessio walked down the steel stairs.  Normally he would have teleported but he needed some time to think by himself.  His father had reacted incredibly well to his failure in killing Dorothy.  Too well.  Then his father tells him to take Steven Locandro and Lucas Di Cartelli to Colony L4 to kidnap the remaining Gatekeepers.  He remembered the two women, one the sister of that Gundam pilot.  When he thought about it, it sounded so incredibly deranged.  First he helps save them from a dark prison only to kidnap them and throw them into another dark prison.  He didn't understand why his father wanted them.  To him, they were a waste of power.  'Did his father want to use their power?  Could they do that?  So that bitch Bethany WAS good for something…' He reached one of the levels holding the cells.  Even before he opened the door he could hear screaming.  Narrowing his eyes he magically opened the door; dim light pouring into the corners of the small cell.  The prisoner was the sister of that Gundam pilot.  He had never been good with names but he could remember faces and even if her face was streaked with tears and grimed he recognised her.

"Shut up." He growled at her.

Catherine recoiled in fear at the man standing in front of her.  She had immediately stopped screaming when she heard him speak.  It was Alessio; he seemed taller the way he towered in the doorframe but it was he.  She rushed forward, ducking under his arm and out of the room.  He hadn't been expecting her to do that nonetheless, he caught her easily by the arm.  "Don't be stupid.  You can't run away."

"Don't put me back in there.  Please don't put me back in there!"  She sagged to her knees, her arm still firmly being held by Alessio, as she pointed to the dark cell.  She looked up pleading pathetically at him.

Alessio ignored the tiny twinge in his heart at her tear-streaked face.  He forced her to stand dragging her towards the door he had come from.  "Stop that, butana.  You're going to meet some friends of yours."  He began to drag her slowly up the stairs, being gentler towards Catherine then he had been to Bethany.  

"Please don't put me back in there.  Please!" Catherine continued to beg, sniffing awkwardly.

Alessio growled again.  "Shut up, ok!"  They continued to walk up the stairs, Catherine whimpering every now and then.  He gave her a sideways glance and loosened his grip on her arm, "Look.  Stop that or I will put you back in that cell."

Catherine breathed in deeply, seemingly inhaling in all her pain.  They reached the level where Bethany's lab was situated.  He created a chain with Black power and chained Catherine to a metal leg of the panels, forcing her to sit.  Giving her one more look before leaving he smirked at her.  "Now don't move."

The screaming had stopped a few minutes ago.  Midii began to control her irregular breathing again.  More minutes passed and she propped herself up on one arm, slowly moving from her foetal position.  She used a sleeve to wipe away the tears, mentally berating herself for losing it so quickly but it wasn't a very good scolding.  She stood up shakily, leaning her upper body against the back wall, her hands propped onto her knees.  She stared at the beam of light, wishing it would grow bigger.  Better to be in a small bright room then a small dark room.  The light wavered and disappeared as the door opened, allowing a dim light to enter the room.  Her instincts kicked in and she rushed forward barely ducking out of a tall, burly man's arms.  She ran for the nearest door pushing it open, only to run into another burly man.  She gasped as he grabbed her neck and pushed her back against a wall.

"You can't run from me, butana."  He grabbed her roughly by her arms, pushing them to her back and clasping them together.  Midii tried to manoeuvre out of his grasp but he just tightened his grip on her.  He pushed her up the stairs towards the lab.

"Cathie!"  Midii ran forward to the bound Catherine, as the man who had held her released her. 

"Midii!"  

Midii yelped as the temporary happiness of finding Cathie disappeared as she felt chains tighten around her arms and legs and she was bound as well.  She glared up defiantly at her captor, recognising him as Alessio.  "You bastard!  Want do you want from us?!"

Alessio just glared back at her and vanished into a Black shroud.  Midii gave a watery smile to Catherine.  "Are you ok?  Did they hurt you?"

Cathie shook her head slowly, asking Midii the same question.  When she received the same answer, Catherine sniffled a little and looked at the ground.  Midii gave her a concerned look before examining the room they were in for possible ways of escape.  She had seen this place before…

"Hmmm….humm…hmmm," Bethany hummed, since her voice had developed a scratchy sound after hours of singing off-key.  She stared into the dark, her eyesight used to it by now.  A sudden burst of light, which disappeared as quickly as it came, temporarily blinded her, stopping her rendition of 'On my Own' from Les Miserables.  "What the…?"

Her cell door opened to reveal Steven Locandro standing superiorly above her. Not waiting for her to get up he roughly grabbed her elbow and dragged her, half stumbling to stand.  "Hey, what's the rush?"

Steven just smirked at her. "We've gotten the energy needed to fuel the time machine." 

Bethany perturbed asked, "How can you be smug?! He's going to kill one of you!"  She struggled against his grasp, hitting him once in the face before he punched her in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

"Stupid girl.  You don't know what you're talking about.  Get up!"

He grabbed her arm again and dragged her faltering form to her lab.

         ***************************

  - Mercy Sisters Hospital, Earth – Real Time -

_'Argh!  Why can't I do it?!'_ Dorothy stormed out of a patient's room, followed closely by Quatre.

_'Dorothy…you're under too much stress, maybe you should try later.'_ Quatre replied calmly, gently rubbing her hand, and leading her to a seat.

_'Quatre, Relena fainted here for a reason!  I'm positive it's because of that patient!'_ she pointed to the door they had just exited.  _'I healed Catherine, why can't I heal that person?' _She sighed angrily, her free hand clenched into a fist and shaking at no one in particular.

Quatre unclenched her fist, telling her to relax in his calm manner. _'From that doctor's chart, that person suffered massive internal building, cardiac arrest, broken bones and ruptured organs.  Cathie had a small scratch on her leg from a broken chair.  You just can't expect to be able to control your powers.  You only just acquired them.  Dorothy, don't wear yourself out.' _ He let go of her left hand and ran his fingertips lightly across the side of her face, resting under her chin.

_'I'm sorry I'm worrying you Quatre, but Relena just collapsed.  Bethany's been kidnapped and the Black Council is trying to take over the world.  And what am I doing?  Sitting here doing NOTHING about it!' _she took his hand from her face, gently squeezed it and stood up about to head back into the patients room.

_'Dorothy.  Please. Don't.'_ Dorothy stared into those aquamarine eyes and felt her resolve break ever so slightly when, Duo saved her.

"Ok stop!  I don't know what just happened but could you two PLEASE speak out LOUD!" He huffed, giving both Dorothy and Quatre a Shinigami glare.

Dorothy raised her eyebrows at him and glanced at Hilde who was sitting next to him.  Hilde gave her a sheepish grin, "Hey, I'm with him on this one.  Can you guys speak out loud?  It's like you guys can read each other's minds or something…" Hilde looked at their serious faces of the two and then it dawned on her.  "…You guys can read each other's minds…That explains a lot…"

Duo gave his wife a quizzical look,  "What?  Read minds…you guys can read each other's minds?  How?"

Quatre sighed and Dorothy nodded before going back into the patient's room, closing the door behind her.  Duo tapped his foot impatiently, "Well? C'mon, spill!"

"When Dorothy gave me her blood, the bond we already had when we connected to the Zero System all those years ago, somehow grew a hundred-fold and now we can speak to each other telepathically.  She can feel everything I feel and vice-versa.  Everything." Quatre stared at the amazed couple.

"Wow." Duo stared wide-eyed at Quatre, a grin slowly spreading on his face, "You feel everything she feels?"  Quatre nodded and Duo continued, "So…do you get PMS as well?"

Quatre turned red and didn't reply.  Hilde frowned at her husband before lightly whapping the back of his head.  "Don't answer that Quatre.  Duo no more questions."

Quatre smiled gratefully at Hilde about to thank her when his cell phone started to ring.  "Excuse me." He said to the two before walking away from them.

A giggle escaped from Hilde's mouth as Duo pouted at her cutely, still rubbing the back of his head.  She was about to speak when they both heard Quatre yell 'what?!' before snapping his phone closed.  He glanced at them, his face unreadable before saying, "Something's happened to Cathie and Midii."  Then he dashed up towards the staircases, bounding up three steps at a time to where Trowa was guarding Relena's door.  The somewhat light mood the couple had been in, vanished; Hilde biting her bottom lip, trying to stop herself from crying and Duo hugging her to him, trying to comfort her.

"When will it stop?" she whispered unsteadily.  Duo didn't answer, focusing on the spot just above her head, rocking her from side to side soothingly.

A nurse walked past a tall man with long brown bangs, leaning against the wall next to a patients closed door.  Unconsciously, she walked just a little bit faster past him as she continued on her rounds.  Trowa stared at the exact same spot he had been staring at for ten minutes already.  No one had come up to him and said anything.  Heero was with Relena, Sally had gone to help more injured people, Wufei had gone back to ground zero and Quatre and the rest of them were trying to find out why Relena had just collapsed like that.  A faint smell of perfume; very similar to that which Cathie wore, made him blink and look up, thinking of his sister and who she was with.  'They're safer on L4,' he reminded himself.  Even as he tried to convince himself, his heart gave a painful twinge.  Standing up straight, Trowa shook his head, walking towards the elevators; even he needed to be around people at the moment.

"Trowa!" Quatre yelled out, just as Trowa was about to enter a lift.  

Trowa gave the breathless man a quizzical look.  "What's wrong Quatre?"

His eyes a sorrowful blue, Quatre murmured, "Rashid just called.  Cathie and Midii are gone."

Trowa felt numb.  The rest of what Quatre was saying didn't reach his ears as he slumped against the wall.  His Cathie gone.  Again.  Midii gone.  No.  This was not going to happen again.  He pushed away from the wall, away from Quatre and ran down the stairs.  

Quatre rushed after Trowa but the tall man moved too quickly for him, disappearing down the flights of stairs, away from everyone.

         ************************

  - Subspace – Real Time -

"Cathie?! Midii!?" Bethany gasped in surprise at the two women chained in the lab.  Steven pushed her roughly into the lab, making her fall to the floor next to the two.  She didn't notice, still too flabbergasted at the sight in front of her.

"I see you've seen my little present for you."  Mario appeared to the side of the three, smirking condescendingly at them.

The awful truth dawned on Bethany, as her heart tightened at the sight of Cathie and Midii reduced to painful tears.  She shook her head.  "Mario, no.  NO!"

The smirk never left his face as he grabbed a handful of Bethany's pale hair, enjoying the wince that crossed her face and brought her face close to his.  "You wanted power AND soul.  These," he pointed to Midii and Catherine, "are Gatekeepers.  They have the power AND _their_ souls, I don't mind sacrificing."  He pushed Bethany's face away from his, letting go of her hair.

Bethany bit back the tears and swallowed before speaking.  "Even with them, you're still short of one person!  Are you really willing to kill one of your own?!"

His smile just got wider.  "Build the machine.  I will have your precious energy."  With that he vanished, leaving the three very shocked people behind.

"He's insane…" Bethany murmured to herself, staring at the afterimage Mario left behind.  

"Bethany…Bethany, what is going on?" Midii steadied her voice as she twisted forwards, trying to look at Bethany directly.  She hadn't liked one bit of what that man had been saying. '…I don't mind sacrificing…'

Ignoring the question, Bethany crawled over to them, muttering incoherently, under her breath.  She examined the chains imprisoning Catherine and Midii.  "Damn magical chains!  I can't get you out of those, unless one of those bastards takes them off."

"Bethany, what is going on?" Midii repeated her question more forcefully.

"You really don't want to know."  Bethany cautiously stood up, trying not to break down at the enormity of the situation she was in.

"Tell us, Bethany." Fiery blue eyes met pale jade ones.  Bethany turned away first.  Walking to her control panel, she pressed a few keys and all the screens in the room showed the same thing.  

Graphs and a strange dark matter that looked like a DNA model flashed on the screens.  Turning back to the questioning looks of Midii and Catherine, Bethany pointed to the screens.  "That is the old power.  It is what will power the time machine."

"But we don't have the old powers, do we?" Catherine asked, wiping away a few tears that stubbornly rolled down her face.

"On the contrary, Cathie.  A Gatekeeper has the old power in them.  That's why 24 of you could open the portal to the Darkness but…" Bethany trailed off, clasping her hands together in front of her and looking anywhere but at the two women.

"…But the only way to get that power is to kill us." Midii finished for her.  A nod confirmed her fears.  

"No.  NO!" The tears began to freely flow down Catherine's face again.  "Why can't they just stop?"

No answer came from either women, the only sound heard over the continuous beeping of instruments, was the sounds of crying.

         ***********************************

  - Luxemburg, Earth - Real Time - 

Again.  It had happened again.  He had promised her to never let anything hurt her again.  He had agreed to send her far away.  Why did he think that would be a good idea?  He had sent his sister away from him with a person he couldn't trust.  Why did he do that?  He kept running, never breaking stride.  But he couldn't blame her.  Midii.  His heart was jumping erratically now.  He had been running non-stop since the hospital.  He promised her he would protect her.  Cathie.  His heart was burning now but he continued to run.  They were both gone now because he couldn't keep his promise.  He ran into someone and kept going not bothering to apologise.  Voices called out his name, accusingly.  He stumbled forward on debris.  He had run all the way from the hospital to what was left of Luxemburg Hall.  He stood on the outer perimeter of the grounds; small fires still burned and night blanketed the city, the wind had picked up and was throwing debris and dust every which way.  Trowa pretended the tears streaming down his face was because of the dust.

"Hey! Trowa!"  The voice behind him was forceful and annoyed.

Crudely wiping away the tears with his sleeve, Trowa advanced forward away from the voice, away from everyone.  An arm grabbed onto his elbow, forcing him to turn.

Wufei couldn't hide his surprise at seeing the former pilot of HeavyArms in tears.  When he had nearly been bowled over by someone running, he had all been ready to employ some 'justice' but after running after the man who had knocked him over, he realised it was Trowa.  His anger had diminished greatly, wondering more what the hell Trowa was doing here and in such a rush.  Now all Wufei wanted to do was to get out of this uncomfortable situation and he did it in perfect Wufei fashion.  He ignored the obvious.

"There's trouble, isn't there?  That's why you're here, right?"  

Trowa just nodded and Wufei grunted, motioning to a Preventer truck to come over.  "Lets go then."

The trip back was a silent one; Trowa staring sullenly out the window and Wufei concentrating on not sweating at the tension that seeped from the man sitting next to him.  They reached the elevators in the same silence, the trip up the same.  As Wufei stepped out on the floor Relena was on, Trowa spoke softly.

"Cathie and Midii have been kidnapped."

Wufei nodded at the tall man.  What could he say that didn't sound dubious?  "We'll find them."

Trowa nodded back, both of them walking to Relena's room.  No 'thank yous' were heard but the tension had evaporated.

         ************************************

  - Subspace - Real Time -

"Alessio."

The man bowed respectively at his father.  "Yes, father?"

"Come with me."

Alessio nodded and trailed after his father, as he teleported deeper into the fortress.  They reached the lowest level of the fortress, about five levels below where the prison cells were.  He took in his surroundings.  It was pitch black and the Black power was sucking up the environment, making him feel stronger but there was an uneasy feeling developing inside of him.  "Father, why are we here?"

Mario turned to his son and spread his arms out like an eagle.  "We are here because of this."  With that the level suddenly filled with power.  Gold power.  Alessio fell to his knee as the Gold power – the power that could neutralise the Black power overcame him.  The Black power in him, began to fade as he realised the power he had been unconsciously taking in just a few moments ago had traces of Gold power in them.  

He fell heavily onto his hands, trying desperately to keep his head up.  "Fa-father…Why?"

Mario walked up to his son and stepped on his hand, causing him to fall and head-butt the floor.  A hollow laugh came from him.  "My dear son," he sneered, kicking Alessio in the chest, sending him flying across the room and landing with a sickening thud. "You will finally be useful to me."  He motioned at the glowing power of Gold.  "Thank your 'uncle' Giovanni for making you as weak as a mongrel.  The poor bastard actually believed my 'you need to do this for the better of humanity' spiel."  Another laugh, thundered around the room.  

Alessio tried to get up but the Gold power weighed down on him like a tonne of concrete.  He stared pathetically up at his father.  "But-but, the…power should be…affecting…you too!"

Mario just laughed again.  "Yes.  Yes it should."  Still laughing, he stepped away from Alessio and jerked suddenly.

**"The end is near."**  Then Mario disappeared.

Alessio stared in horror at what he had just seen.  The Darkness.  The Darkness was inside his father.  Then the Gold power seeped into his body and soul, unconsciousness welcoming him.

         **************************

  - Mercy Sisters Hospital, Earth – Real Time -

'You can't really be considering doing this!'  The dream kept repeating itself over and over in Relena's mind, as she numbly took in the people around her.  Sitting to her right was Heero gratefully still holding her hand.  Hilde and Duo stood to her left, an expression of relief etched on their faces.  Sally was standing at the foot of the hospital bed, quickly reading her chart.  She must have looked dreadful – she felt dreadful.  Her eyes were a puffy red while her face was ashen and she trembled every now and then.  She barely paid attention to what her friends was saying, only hearing tidbits of the conversation.  Dorothy was in the room she had fainted in, Quatre was talking quietly to Trowa and Wufei had gone to call for more security around the hospital.  Duo said something to her and by the look of his face, he had probably asked her a question.

"Uhh…yeah, Duo. I agree." Relena smiled feebly as she tried to push away the dream.

Duo just laughed and said, "Finally someone who agrees with me that Oreos can be mined on Mars."

She would have blushed and laughed but the dream kept repeating itself and she could only manage a small smile.  Detecting Relena's distracted state, Heero said pointedly, "Relena needs to rest."

She was about to protest when Hilde nodded in agreement. "Rel you take it easy ok?  We'll be right here if you need anything."  She half-dragged Duo to the door, with him doing an elaborate good-bye on the way.

Sally gave her a sisterly smile and winked at her.  "Just rest, Relena."  With that she closed the door behind her and left the couple alone.

"Relena, tell me what is bothering you."  Heero paused before adding 'please.'

Pulling on Heero's hand, until she had him in an embrace, she shivered involuntarily as she whispered, "Dreams."  Closing her eyes, the safeness she felt in Heero's eyes vanished as she fell asleep…

         - Unknown Place – Unknown Time -

_"You can't really be considering doing this!" The voice yelled again.  Relena couldn't tell if it was familiar because she had heard that voice before or if it was because this dream kept repeating itself in her mind._

_"It is our destiny and our right.  I will do this and I will do this with or without you." The voice answered back again.  The voices were becoming more familiar sounding.  There was no green haze and the room WAS a meeting room at Romefeller Headquarters! Relena walked steadily around the room, every step she took, brought her closer to the voices.  They were getting louder and clearer.  _

_"Consider what you're doing!  Don't be foolish!  The world has changed, you can't possibly expect everything to go back the way it was!"_

_"We were meant to rule.  It is what was prophesied so long ago.  You cannot stop destiny and fate."  Relena was so close she could feel it.  The green haze filled the room suddenly and she couldn't move forward anymore._

_"I won't be a part of this!  I will stop you, I'll tell rest of them!" _

_Concentrating so hard on the voices that sweat beads were lazily rolling down the side of her face, the green haze that was holding her still began to evaporate.  Not even the loud 'bang' stopped her from concentrating on the voices.  Taking one step forward she was standing in front of two people who were staring at each other.  She could tell they were people but their faces she still couldn't see.  They didn't acknowledge her existence and she doubted they knew she was standing there._

_"Then I will have to make sure you can't do that, then." _

"What…? You – you…we're…But you're my - " 

_Then Relena saw a fortress surrounded by tall tree stumps, the green power growing inside her as she reached out, her fingers aching to touch the power…and the green haze overwhelmed her again sending her into a dreamless slumber._

         ***********************

Person who will get chapter 5 done…eventually…:

So do you think that's better? ^_^ If its not tell me!!!! OMG!  I just realised something!  I keep forgetting to give thanks and roses to all my reviewees!  0_0 So sorry to everyone who has reviewed!  Here's a rose @--8--- to everyone who reads and reviews (hell, I'll give one to anyone who reads this piece of junk…uhh…I meant fic!) **Anne you know you're the BEST!** ^_^ More C&C R&R flames and e-mail are EXTREMELY WELCOME!!! Please!!! Hehe ^_^ On another note, I've decided I absolutely DETEST physics.  Absolutely. Okies!


	6. Chapter 5: All We Need is Light!

DISCLAIMER:  I know on some other alternate universe I own Gundam Wing, but alas not in this universe. ^__^  THANKS to ALL who READ!!!! DOUBLY THANKS to ANYONE who READS and REVIEWS!!!  I love reviews!  Which has brought up this little thought…Since this is CHAPTER FIVE, I was wondering if people would be so kind and give me seven more reviews so I can have fifty all together for Chapter 5.  ^__^  Of course, it'd be nice to get more than 7 reviews but I don't want to push! ~_^  Anyways, hope everyone likes!

_'italics'_ indicates thought-speak

Joy To My Life

Chapter 5: All We Need is Light.

  - Mercy Sisters Hospital, Earth - Real Time -

A sigh escaped from Relena's lips as her eyes snapped open and she shot forward in her hospital bed.  "I know…"

Heero stared concernedly at her.  "Relena, what?"

She fixed her gaze on her fiancé, ignoring the sweat beads that had formed on her brow and her mussed up hair.  She took a few deep breaths before speaking in a whispered tone.  "I know where Bethany is."  She gripped onto Heero's hand, her eyes darting to and fro.  "Get everyone here.  I know where she is."  With that Relena shivered and lay back down, placing her hands over her face.

Heero was about to protest, but Relena grabbed his hand and looked at him pleadingly.  "Hurry, Heero.  We don't have much time."

"Ok Relena."  With that he gently kissed her on the forehead and went outside to inform the others.

"Relena what do you mean you know where they are?" Hilde asked softly, trying not to sound sceptical.

Relena just nodded impatiently.  She was waiting for Quatre and Dorothy who were on a different level of the hospital.  She could feel Trowa's intense glare on her.  They had just informed her that Catherine and Midii had been kidnapped as well.  A whirl of feelings bubbled in her, as the dream replayed itself in her mind.  She hoped with all her heart that she was right.  For Dorothy's and Trowa's and everyone's sake, she hoped she was right.

"Hi Relena."

Relena flicked her head to whoever said that.  She saw Dorothy and Quatre walk into her hospital room.  Now everyone was there.  She shifted slightly on the bed, looking at Heero for strength.  She breathed in deeply before speaking, "I know where they are."  No one spoke as they waited for her to continue.  Ignoring the doubt that was creeping up on her, she forged on, "I keep seeing this place in my dreams.  It's Romefeller Headquarters.   I know it is.  Dorothy, its one of the conference rooms."  She nodded eagerly to Dorothy.  Subconsciously running a hand over her hair, partly because of her frayed nerves and partly because she knew how 'wild' she looked.  "I kept seeing these two people arguing there.  And every time I would get close enough to see their faces, a green haze would overcome me.  The dream would repeat itself over and over.  But then something different happened at the end.  I saw a building.  It looked more like a fortress/castle.  It was in a grey place with weird tree stumps surrounding it."  Relena breathed in deeply again.  "They're there.  I know it."  Heero's grip on her hand tightened, as most of the group realised what she was describing.  

"How can you be so sure that they are in this place?" asked Wufei.

Relena just fixed him with an uneasy look.  "I'm - I'm not positively sure but I - I just feel that they're there."  She looked at Dorothy for help and she got it. 

"Relena…This place…this place you see would be a perfect description of Subspace and the fortress we fought the Darkness in…"

"So what are we going to do now or do I really not want to know?" Duo asked, already resigned to the fact that they would probably be risking their necks again to save the world.

"It's the only lead we have right now…I have an estate an hour away from here.  We could be in Subspace in little over an hour."  Dorothy said, checking her watch before giving a questioning look to everyone in the room.  Trowa would definitely come, along with Duo and Hilde.  So would Wufei and Sally.  'And I'm always here.'  She smiled slightly at Quatre before Heero's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"We're staying here."  Indicating himself and Relena.

She was about to nod in agreement when Relena spoke up again.  

"NO!"

The shout had stopped everyone from shuffling out of the door.  "No."  Relena said in a calmer voice.  "I will not stay behind again.  This is my idea.  I'm coming with you.  I have the Green Power for God's sake!"  She haphazardly pushed the blankets away, unsteadily standing on the cold tiled floor barefoot.

"Relena - "

"No Heero.  I'm going.  The last time you went without me…" Relena shook her head, staring defiantly at everyone.  "Well?  Come on.  Lets go."

         **************************

  - Subspace - Real Time - 

Rubbing her tired eyes with grubby hands, Bethany leaned her forehead on cool gundanium casing.  She was on her knees, fixing the components of the time machine.  More specifically she was making the pods where Catherine, Midii and a Black Council member would be placed and their energy and soul would be sucked out of them to power the machine.  They were silver in colour, with a small viewing window.  It wasn't very roomy; a person would only be able to stand in it.  On the side were a series of buttons and a lever.  The doors automatically locked when pressure was added in the pod and it wouldn't open until the machine had been used and turned off.  Bethany leant back onto her legs.  Three days had passed in Subspace since Catherine and Midii had been brought here.  She looked wearily at her guards.  Two of the Locandro brothers stood there, watching her with a mix of hate and lust.  She shook involuntarily and turned her attention to the viewing pools that showed her grandparents and older brother.  They were still safe, for how long, Bethany didn't know. 

'Where are you Dorothy?' she thought as she slowly pieced together the pod.  She had already completed two.  The third one was nearly finished.  After she finished it, all she had to do was to connect the third pod to the time machine and it would work.  Well that's what she told Mario.  In truth she had left vital part out of the equation.  No matter what time he would set, the machine was set to go somewhere else.  She had put it in 'random', like a CD player on 'shuffle' the machine would end up in any time.  She had tried to sabotage the pods, since they were the truly dangerous components of the machine but Mario had figured this out as well and had placed a sort of magical illness to her and every time she didn't follow the blueprints, she would cough up blood.  After this happened several times, Mario had informed her that every time she strayed, the Black Power would crush parts of her internal organs.  The Red Power she had in her was holding back death by massive internal bleeding but if she pushed it anymore she would pass out and…Well she didn't really want to think about dying now.  

"Get up!"  Adam Locandro yelled at her, causing her to jump; her heart thumping in her ears.  He didn't wait for her as he roughly grabbed her and dragged her down a blur of rooms and corridors in the dim light.  Bethany was too tired to fight back.  Hell, she was too tired to even speak.  They reached her cell, and he forcefully shoved her forward, narrowly avoiding knocking her unconscious when her head thumped against the opposite wall.  He grinned evilly at her before slamming the door shut.

Bethany just fell to the ground in a heap, her eyes closed, her mind already asleep.  They would get her again in an hour.  Maybe less.  After nine days of countless beatings, pressure and the hopelessness of the situation; Bethany could feel her spirit - her resolve - shatter.  A tear slid down her face and landed silently on the cold, dank floor.

Mario Luciano Sr hummed tunelessly as he reached the cell of one of the Gatekeepers.  He dissipated the magic around it and the door swung open, allowing dim light to stream through.  "It's time for you to be useful."  He smirked as he held the girl in mid air using the Black Power.  Unlike his minions he had absolute control over his powers.  He didn't bother physically hurting them.  Why do that when you could destroy them with a look?  He smirked as the girl was bodily thrown to the floor and was dragged behind him by invisible hands.  They reached the chosen destination and he threw the girl next to the other Gatekeeper.

Midii bit down hard on her tongue, drawing blood as she felt and heard her arm snap.  A broken arm was the least of her problems.  A few metres away from her, was something that looked like a pool.  She struggled valiantly to her knees and saw Cathie stir next to her.  "Cathie.  Cathie!"

"Urgh…Midii?"  Catherine rolled onto her side, pushing upwards on the palms of her hands.  When she saw Midii's injury she immediately forgot about the pain her body was in and tried to help Midii.

"Oohh…How touching."  With that Mario raised his hand towards them and Catherine felt a tightening around her neck as an invisible force pushed her backwards.

"AHH!"  She screamed as she was dragged backwards into the pool of whirling colours.  

Midii tried to grab onto Cathie but was flung back against the wall, her arm dangling at a dangerous angle.  Cathie continued to scream until she was fully submerged into the pool that was now glowing different colours.

"Cathie!"  Midii tried again to move forward but a force was pinning her against the wall.  "No!  Cathie!"  

Mario laughed and raised his other hand above his shoulder.  Midii stopped screaming in mid-word when she saw Catherine.  She was dangling in mid-air over the pool, glowing every conceivable colour.  Mario flicked his wrist and Catherine hurtled towards the opposite wall, landing with a thud but the glow didn't lessen.  He grinned at Midii.

"Once you get into that pool, your arm will be as good as new."  He laughed again.  "But you'll be dead soon after."

Before Midii had a chance to breath out she was flung into the pool headfirst.  She expected cold water to rush up into her nose and mouth but that wasn't the sensation.  It wasn't cold.  It wasn't even water.  She could see it clearly, colours whirling all around her.  A sense of peace and calm came over her as it washed over her.

Mario stared in surprise at the pool.  The colours were amalgamating into one colour.  Gold.

         ****************************

    - Luxemburg, Earth - Real Time - 

Dorothy hid her surprise at finding the portal to Subspace open.  Everyone was in her country estate's underground base.

"The Black Council must have opened all the portals, since they're the only family left."

"Ok.  Question?" Duo waved his arms about, getting everyone's attention.  "We're fighting the Black Council but they're not the Darkness, right?"

Dorothy nodded.  "The Black Council, from what I know from the ancient scriptures, are superior in stealth, in being able to hide and attack you by surprise.  They draw their powers from the dark but not from the Darkness."  Looking around the room at the confused faces she sighed and continued.  "The Darkness is nothingness.  It is what would be after the End.  The Black Council is night.  Their powers are superior in the Night, which is dark.  They can control the night, but their counterbalance was Gold, which had Light, hence the world could never be placed in eternal Night because of the Gold Power." This seemed to confuse everyone even more but Duo picked up on the important part.

"But you don't have the Gold Power.  Everyone who did have the Gold Power got blown up!  What the hell are we going to use to fight against them?!" Duo didn't like the cloudy look that entered Dorothy's eyes.

She searched the underground base, mumbling something, turning towards the screens and punching in a few keys on the control panel.

"What was that?  I didn't quite hear you."  Duo replied, already having a feeling of what Dorothy was about to say.

One of the screens slid sideways to reveal a room with enough artillery and ammunition to blow up a colony.  Dorothy turned back to everyone.  "I don't know, Duo.  The last time Council members fought each other they nearly destroyed the world.  AND back then both sides had the ability to wield the Power." She motioned to herself and Relena.  "I can't seem to control the flow of the Red Power and I doubt Relena can wield the Green Power freely.  Therefore we're going to have to fight like humans."  She pointed to the artillery room.  "We'll need three people in the control room, in case…in case something goes wrong so you can close all the portals."

_'Dorothy no!  There's got to be a better way.'_  Quatre gave her a pleading look.  

_'Quatre, there isn't any other way besides to fight them.  They took Bethany.  They tried to kill us.  Now they have Catherine and Midii for some reason I don't know about!'_  She huffed angrily, ignoring the others who were watching the two have a silent argument like morbid spectators.

_'It would be near suicide to just go into Subspace without any plans at all.'_ Quatre reasoned.

Sighing again, but the anger was leaving her, Dorothy replied, _'True.  We should go in there with a plan.'_ Turning her attention back to everyone else, she was about to repeat what she had said before when Sally spoke up.

"What just happened there?"

Dorothy closed her eyes and rubbed her fore and middle fingers against the bridge of her nose.

"We can communicate telepathically."  Quatre gave a sheepish smile.  

"Explain everything later." Trowa interjected.  Staring at the whirling portal with cold, hard eyes.

Duo muttered something about being the first to know that when Dorothy finally repeated her statement.

"We are going to need three people to stay behind."

"I'll stay."  

Everyone stared in shock at Wufei.  "What?" He huffed.  "I'm the strongest back up you'll have."

Sally rolled her eyes and stifled a giggle.  "I'll stay back too.  I've operated one of these before."

Hilde nodded in agreement. "Yeah.  Me too.  It'll be better if someone who knows how to use this," She waved her hand about the lab, "equipment.  We'd be better prepared."  Duo gave her an affectionate squeeze and was about to whisper something in her ear when a 'no' was grunted.

"Heero!"

"No, Relena.  You're not going to Subspace."  Heero glared at his fiancée.  Why was she trying to get herself killed?

Relena glared back at him.  "Heero.  I have the Green Power - "

"Which you don't know how to use."

"Yes but - "

"No Relena."

Relena opened and closed her mouth for a few moments, before taking a step towards him, never breaking the eye contact.  "Yes Heero."  With that she pushed him with all her might, dashing to the portal and jumping through it.  Heero recovered quickly from the shock of Relena bodily pushing him and ran after her, disappearing into the swirling portal.  

"Well.  That was different." Duo said to no one in particular.  

Dorothy swore under her breath.  "Hurry everyone!  We need to get into the portal now before a minute goes by!  If it does we won't be in the same place as Heero and Relena!"  A mild rush ensued as the four left to go into Subspace grabbed a weapon, a communicator and jumped into the portal.

"Is it just me or do I feel impending doom breathing down my neck?" Hilde murmured to Sally.

Sally just shook her head and sat on one of the swivel chairs, smiling at Wufei who was trying to figure out the control panel.

"Just try not to press any of the red blinking buttons, Wufei."

         *****************************

   - Subspace - Real Time - 

Mario took a step back as the Pool was now completely Gold.  Catherine stood up shakily, as the power now stored in her responded to the Gold emanating from the Pool.  A sense of happiness overrode the pain she had been feeling.  Then she saw Midii.  Catherine dimly wondered if this was how the Goddess Aphrodite was born.  Midii rose up from the Pool, a cloak of Gold 'water' surrounded her; light was literally pouring out of her.  The room was a brilliant Gold colour, as Midii opened her eyes, her normally blue orbs a dazzling shade of Gold.  Catherine felt like she was in a trance but a Black force hurtled towards Midii, causing the place to blink rapidly between Dark and Light.  The explosion of two different Powers threw Catherine backwards but not enough to throw her against the wall.

Mario cursed.  'Don't be stupid', he thought, 'Hitting the Pool will just cause my Powers to rebound.'  Gritting his teeth, and spitting in Midii's direction, he stood up about to teleport for reinforcements when he realised he still had one ace up the hole.  Gathering up all his Power he aimed it at Midii who was gathering Power around herself for a shield, at the last second when he held too much Power he shifted sharply shooting it at Catherine.  Midii realising too late, desperately shot out Gold Power in Catherine's direction.  Another explosion of Power shook the foundations of the fortress, Mario being thrown back while Midii remained unscathed since the Pool made her Power almost invincible.  Both looked in the direction of where Catherine was.  The wall had crumbled along with four walls behind it.  No trace of Catherine.  Midii stared in horror, as Mario laughed before disappearing.  

"No…" Midii fell back into the Pool, the brilliant Gold colour turning darker, as Midii's mood dictated.  "No…" Cathie was gone.  It was all her fault.  Oh God, Trowa.  I'm so sorry.  She began to sob, the Pool getting darker still.  She needed to get out of here.  Away from this place.  Some place safe…The Pool whooshed slightly, Gold Power filling Midii until she disappeared completely.

Relena couldn't believe she had done that to Heero.  Well there was a first for everything.  She stumbled slightly in the dimly lit corridor, a hand leant against the walls for balance.  She reached an alcove and she leant against the wall to catch her breath from the flat out running she had endured.  There was something in this place that was calling her.  Beckoning her to enter.  The headaches had disappeared, now that she had stopped running.

"Relena."

Standing in the entrance of the alcove was Heero, no sign of strain from running after her.  'Mental note to self: do exercise.' Relena thought as Heero glared at her.

"Come on.  We're going back."  He didn't wait for her reply as he lifted her up in a fireman's carry and walked back to where they had run from.

"Heero!  Put me down!"  She thumped him on the chest, which he ignored dutifully but then she tried wriggling out of his grasp and he didn't want to hurt her so he placed her back on the ground.

"Why are you doing this, Relena?"

Relena closed her eyes; she didn't want to see Heero's hurt expression.  He only wanted to protect her and she was running into portals because of some hallucinatory dream she kept having.   She opened them again, an apologising smile on her face.  "I'm sorry Heero.  It's just that…I - I feel like I should be here.  It's difficult to explain but - " She stopped in mid-sentence as her headaches came back in full force.  Her ability to stand deserted her and she collapsed, Heero collecting her in his arms.

"Relena!  Relena!"  He grunted, as he shifted her dead weight into a carry position again.  He walked briskly, retracing his steps back to the portal…and nearly walked into a wall.  Heero's eyes widened as the corridor's walls shifted all around him.  He turned 360 degrees before heading towards the only exit that was left, his grip on Relena tightening ever so slightly.

A desk was thrown against a wall.  Mario closed his eyes and the desk exploded.  He had now lost both Gatekeepers.  'Stupid!'  He'd sent four Black Council members into the Pool to get that Gold brat but she had vanished.  They couldn't sense her.  It was painful to sense a Power that could makes yours null and void.  **"The machine."**

Mario's body calmed as he heard the voices of his master.  Yes, the time machine.   He needed to get Power to operate it.  Simple.  Get three of his idiotic cronies in the pods.   He knew the machine hadn't been completed yet.  A thought of using Bethany to power up the machine crossed his mind.

**"No."**

Mario shook his head.  Of course.  Right.  If he brought Bethany into the Pool, the scenario that had been played out with that blasted Gatekeeper would happen again.  Only it would be the Red Power.  He didn't have the Power to fight that.  He needed all four of the other Powers to counter the Red.  He smirked at that.  I shouldn't have blown them all up then.  He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.  Then he felt it.  A weird sensation washed over him.  The voices of his master had gone strangely quiet.  Dorothy was here.  They had finally come.

"Oh crap."  The three with Duo silently agreed on his statement.  Behind them the portal had vanished, gone to a different part of Subspace and in front of them were seven corridors.  "E-ni, me-ni, my-ni, mo."  Duo pointed to the corridor closest to his left.  "I'll go down here."  He ran a few metres down the corridor, speaking into his communicator, "You guys can hear me right?"

Trowa answered for the group and pointed to the corridor closest to his right.  "I'll take that one."  He nodded to Dorothy and Quatre before jogging down into the dimly lit corridor.

_'I guess we'll go down the middle one.'_ Quatre laced his fingers around Dorothy's as they walked cautiously down the hallway.  

_'This place is reeking with the old powers.'_ Dorothy looked at her now glowing red hand.  _'I wonder if Bethany can sense me?_'

Quatre squeezed Dorothy's other glowing hand. _'If she can sense you, the Black Council would probably be able to sense you as well.'_

_'I need to figure out how to use these powers!'_ She sighed in frustration as the red glow disappeared, the corridor darkening once again.

_'When you healed Cathie, what were you thinking about?'_ asked Quatre suddenly.

Dorothy was about to answer when the long dark corridor suddenly narrowed, the walls around them slowly moving towards them.

_'Run!'_

Trowa felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.  He whirled around pointing his gun to whoever was there.  He almost dropped it when he saw Midii, glowing gold and shaking in a foetal position on the floor.

"Midii!  Midii!  Are you ok?"  He asked softly, lifting her up gently, so he could see her face better.  A lump developed in his throat, as he saw her face, streaked with tears, her eyes were swollen and red with a strange gold tint around them.  She stared up into his piercing emerald eyes and sobbed.  He hugged her to his chest, Midii grabbing his clothing tightly to her as she cried.  It took Trowa a few moments to realise that she was mumbling something into his shirt.  Gently distancing him from her, so he could hear what she was saying, he stared at her beautiful face, no matter how pained it was.

"What is it Midii?"

Midii's eyes grew wide in fear.  Fresh tears ran down her smooth face as she mumbled, broken sobs causing her to hiccup what she was saying. "I'm - sor - sorry.  I'm so - sorry.  Trowa.  Trow-a.  I -m sorry."  She leaned back into Trowa's embrace, sobbing.  The Gold Power had dulled around her, as grief overtook her.  The Power had amplified her emotions; she had only known Cathie for a few weeks but she didn't just cry for her.  All the pain she had felt over the years - losing her family, betraying people that cared for her, becoming someone she loathed, poured out of her, the Power feeding on her emotions.  She was apologising for everything and everyone.

Trowa rocked her to and fro, wordlessly comforting her; he had lost himself when he touched her.  Her effect on him was so strong.  'What would Cathie do in this situation?' He thought, when reality hit him.  Cathie.  His sister.  Where was she?

"Midii, Midii.  Come on.  We have to find Cathie." He whispered in her ear, stroking her hair comfortingly.

The sounds of weeping stopped so abruptly, for a spilt second Trowa thought Midii had stopped breathing.  He cradled her head in his hands, searching her face for answers.  He could see it in her eyes.  No.  His mind repeated that one word over and over.  His hands dropping to his side as he stared into those blue orbs in disbelief.  No.  No.  

Midii wiped the bothersome tears away from her face.  "Trowa.  I'm-I'm sorry.  I couldn't save her."

         *******************************

  - Luxemburg, Earth - Real Time - 

"What is it reading?" Sally and Hilde turned to look at what Wufei was pointing at.  Where Wufei was standing, the screen had begun to show an oscilloscope, the line jumping up and down in an alarming fashion.

"Oh no, this can't be good…" murmured Hilde as all of the screens showed the oscilloscope.  

A hissing sound originated from the portal.  Then a high-pitched tone vibrated the room.  A loud crack was heard and the screen closest to the portal exploded, broken glass spitting everywhere.

"Get down!"  Wufei yelled, lying on top of Sally to protect her from the shower of broken glass.

"The portal's closing!" Hilde yelled above the noise, her hands firmly placed between her ears.  Wufei and Sally stared in shock as the portal hissed to a close.  The sound subsided, leaving a ringing in their ears and all the electrical equipment was either on fire or sparking up.  Smoke rose to the ceiling and the sprinklers turned on, drenching everything in water.

Hilde grabbed the communicator she had placed in her pocket and hurriedly spoke into it.  "Duo!  Duo!  Can you hear me?! Duo!"

The only reply was static.  She tried again and again, ignoring the small cuts she had received from flying broken glass.

Sally surveyed the wreck that was an underground base, with a calm she had acquired through years of training.  "Is anything working?"  The sprinklers automatically turned off, as the smoke dissipated.  She walked carefully through the glass and examined the control panels.  Small sparks appeared here and there and the screens were definitely not going to be working.

"We need to open the portal."  Wufei's obsidian eyes bore into her.

"I agree.  Do you have any bright ideas?" She asked, sucking her finger that had just received a little jolt of electricity.

Wufei came up to her and held her hand.  "Be careful, onna."  A small smile lit both their faces.

"Is _anything_ working?" Hilde asked, giving up on trying to contact the others through the communicator.

"Well let's find out."  With that the trio glumly looked at the control panels and began to work.

         ******************************

   - Subspace - Real Time -

Heero walked down another long, dark corridor.  He had been walking for hour an hour already and Relena was still unconscious.  'Damn!  I'm going around in circles!' he swore under his breath and headed towards another alcove.  He carefully shifted Relena in his arms, ignoring the numbness he felt at the tips of his fingers.  He gazed at her sleeping form, mentally trying to coax her out of her slumber. 'Come on Relena.  Please, wake up.'

Relena stirred slightly in his arms.  Heero gently placed her on the ground, cradling her head in his lap.  "Relena.  Relena, please wake up." the tone of his voice uncharacteristically soft.

Relena's eyes fluttered opened, cloudy aquamarine looking up at alert Prussian blue.  "Heero? I - I."

"Shh.  Can you stand?"

She nodded drowsily, using Heero as a crutch; his arm around her waist and holding onto her hand that was draped over his shoulders.  They slowly made their way down the corridor, Relena leaning heavily against Heero; the headaches had dulled but she focussed all her energy at the spot in front of her.

"Well, well.  What do we have here?"

The headaches began to throb again as Heero stood in front of her, protecting her from the voice.  Heero glared at the black-clad man.  On the way to Dorothy's estate he had memorised the faces of all the Black Council members.  It wasn't Alessio; it was Steven Locandro.

The man smirked at him as he gathered Power around him.  "This is going to be fun." 

It was very bright.  She shifted her weight to her side and pushed upwards with her arms and then hands.  She stood on shaky legs but still walked forward a step.  All she could see was a lot of light.  Her eyes adjusted to the brightness allowing her to open her eyes a little instead of squinting.  Another step forward and her legs were steadying.  She didn't know where she was going but moving felt better than waiting for someone to find her.  She stumbled on top of something on the ground, causing her to fall forward, her arms saving her from slamming her nose down on the floor.  She turned to look at what had tripped her legs and screamed.  Catherine was looking at a dead body.

         *****************************

Person who wants to say 'hi!' :

Did anyone really believe I had killed Catherine?  ^__^ That was a tribute to Jaid Skywalker! Hehe…People go read her fics!!!  I'd also like to thank the Academy! Really I do!  ~_^ THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL WHO READ AND REVIEW!!!!  I have a break from Uni so I can write more! (hehe…hopefully!)  Well you know the drill! C&C R&R flames and e-mail EXTREMELY WELCOME!!! Bye! ^__^  Once again, **THANKS ANNE!******


	7. Chapter 6: It Has Begun

DISCLAIMER:  This chapter is violent.  It is.  I think.  ^__^  GW is mine in an AU somewhere but not here.  Hmmm…what else…? Oh!  THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed chapter five!  Yeah!  I got past fifty reviews for chapter five! Yeah! ^__^ It was really nice of everyone! This chapter is for you guys! (Well, obviously since its not like I write for my own enjoyment or anything ~_^)  This hasn't been beta-read so mistakes will be abundant.  Oh! And…ummm…well I was just thinking… (JA: well that's a first.   JB: will you go away!) anyway,  I was just WONDERING since this is chapter SIX, all those kind readers out there would give me four (or more if you want ^_^) reviews so I could have sixty reviews for chapter 6!  Okies….I'm guessing you people want to read the fic now, right?

You know I never mentioned it before but **"bold" **indicates the Darkness is speaking.

_'italics' _indicates thought-speak (is there a better word for this?)

Joy to My Life

Chapter 6: It Has Begun.

By: J.B. Santiago

  - Luxemburg, Earth - Real Time -

"Argh!  Nothing's working!" Hilde exhaled loudly, kicking a piece of twisted metal in front of her.  Sally silently agreed with her, as she sifted through more broken glass and electrical wires.  She glanced at Wufei who had stopped going through the debris and was staring curiously at something.

"Did you find something, Wufei?"

Sally and Hilde walked towards Wufei's hunched up form.  They followed his gaze until both of them were staring at a button.  It was small, round and blinking a dull red.  It had been under the main control panel, sitting on a square pillar, surrounded by broken glass.

"What do you think it does?" asked Hilde, her fingers suddenly itching to press the button.

"I don't know, but there's only one way to find out."  Sally reached out to press the blinking button when Wufei grabbed her hand.

"You just can't go press things.  That button could blow this whole place up."

"Why would they put a self-detonating button underneath the main control panel?" Sally reasoned, anxious to do something than just sift through debris.

Wufei glared at her.  "Listen Sally.  We don't know what were dealing with here.  You just can't go press red blinking buttons!"

Hilde suppressed a giggle, as a vein on Wufei's forehead began to protrude outwards.  Sally and Wufei squared off, each trying to intimidate the other.  

"Wufei.  That is the one thing working in this wreck.  It must have some useful purpose!"

"Useful in destroying evidence!  Have some sense, onna!"

Before they could argue further, a soft click was heard and they both turned to the button that was now under Hilde's forefinger.

"Oops."

         ******************************

  - Subspace - Real Time -

A laugh echoed down the dark corridors.  Heero stood, not moving but not by choice.  An invisible force kept him frozen there, unable to reach for his gun, as Steven Locandro laughed at him.  

"Hmm…can't fight back, huh?"  Steven threw back his head and laughed even louder.  Sweat beads rolled freely down Heero's face as he tried with all his might to reach for his gun, to no avail.  Relena stood behind him, leaning heavily against his back.

"Omae o korosu."  He gritted out, as he felt the invisible force close around him, choking him.

Steven suddenly stopped laughing.  He glared at Heero.  He was supposed to be suffering!  Instead Heero just glared right back at him.

An evil grin crawled across his face.  "No, I think you'll die first!"  He balled his hand into a fist and made as if he was about to strike at Heero, even though they were standing two metres apart.  Heero felt like the wind was knocked out of him before he hurtled backwards into Relena, his body nearly crushing hers against the wall.

"Relena!"  Ignoring the pain, he rolled to face her.  Relena's eyes were closed, her breath was shallow and she was unconscious.  An animalistic cry escaped from Heero's mouth as he grabbed his gun to shoot it at Steven.  Sounds of bones cracking were heard; Heero glanced at his hand that held the gun.  Steven had broken three of his fingers and his body wouldn't move from the kneeling position he was in.

Steven shook a finger at him,  "Tsk, tsk."  He raised both hands up and Heero flew upwards, hitting the high ceiling and staying there.

Bang!  Steven howled in pain, as a bullet tore through his left shoulder.  He threw energy at the general direction of the bullet, slamming Duo into the wall behind him, dislocating his shoulder, his gun sliding away from him.  Steven turned his attention to his bleeding shoulder, he cursed as he tried to gather energy to teleport…but he forgot one thing.  The shot had caused him to lose concentration, the power holding Heero to the ceiling evaporated causing Heero to fall, giving the former Gundam pilot enough time to land, roll, switch hands and fire five bullets into Steven's head.  Steven's body landed in a heap, blood everywhere and Black Power poured out of him, seeping into the cracks of the floor.

Heero walked gingerly towards the body.  He checked to make sure Steven was dead before checking on Relena's condition.  "Relena…" he carefully lifted her up after making sure she hadn't broken any bones and walked towards Duo.  Placing her gently next to Duo, Heero gave Duo a small, thankful smile examining Duo's shoulder.

"Oww…Goddamn this hurts!" Duo winced as Heero checked his dislocated shoulder.  "Don't even think of popping it back into place!"

Heero ignored his comments and stared at him seriously.  "Then do it yourself."

Duo blanched at the idea, shaking his head as vigorously as he could with a dislocated shoulder.  "I think I'm getting used to the pain."

"Fine.  We need to get Relena out of here."

"Agreed.  I think getting out of here is a brilliant idea!"

Heero nodded and sniffed the air.  "You use Pantene Pro V."  

Duo stared at him in surprise before nodding, "…Yeah, actually I do.  How'd you - AHHH!"  Heero had just yanked Duo's shoulder back into place.  Duo glared at him.  "Last time I go save your life!"

Heero just gave him his usual indifferent look and gently carried Relena up.

"Hey Heero!  Wait up!"  Duo tentatively got up, grabbed his gun and followed the Perfect Soldier.

It moved.  Catherine screamed louder.  The dead body had moved!  The bright room seemed to get brighter.

A rough sound escaped from the body and Catherine's kind heart took over.  Biting down the urge to scream again, she cautiously held out a hand over the body.  A groan was heard and Catherine's hand recoiled back in fear.  'Come on Cathie.' She willed herself to touch the back of the body, finding it surprisingly warm.  Gaining more confidence she gently rolled over the body so she could see the person's face.

"Alessio!?"  Catherine scooted backwards in fear, eyes wide at the person who was lying so helpless in front of her.  The last time she had seen him, he had thrown her in a lab with Bethany and Midii.  He definitely didn't look like the pathetic person he was now.  Alessio looked up at her, his dark eyes cloudy, his skin so white against his black clothing.  

"…help me…"

Catherine continued to stare at him surprised.  This was the man who with Trowa had saved her from the Darkness.  This was the man who had kidnapped her from Quatre's estate.  This was the man who had put her in a dark, dank cell.  Now, the roles had reversed somewhat.  It was she who had power over him.  Catherine did the one thing that seemed right in her mind.  She helped him.

"Can you get up?"  She glanced at his body.  He didn't seem to have anything broken or bleeding.  

"…the…room…" Alessio rasped out before falling into unconsciousness again.

'The room?'  The fear in Catherine began to build up again.  What was in the room that was causing so much pain to Alessio?  Her eyes darted to and fro, searching for anything incriminating.  The only thing she could see was a very bright room.  It almost glowed…Her eyes widened as she realised that the room WAS glowing - glowing gold.  The events that had brought her here came rushing back to her.  When she had been thrown into that pool of glowing colours, by that man - Mario - yes, that's what Bethany had called him; she had glowed all different colours.  Catherine dimly took into account that she was still glowing.  She collected her thoughts again as she remembered what had happened to Midii.  Midii had glowed Gold.  She had shot out Gold power at Mario who shot Black power back at her.  She was getting a headache.  Catherine shook her head, trying to remember what happened after.  Mario had tried to hurt her with that Black power but Midii had thrown Gold power at her as well and now she was in this bright gold room with a half-dead Alessio.  Then it clicked.  The room was Gold.  Alessio had the Black power.  That's why Alessio was so weak!  The Gold power - whatever it was - affected the Black power!  Catherine felt a little relieved, the Gold power couldn't hurt her, on the contrary, it made her feel safe.  Alessio on the other hand…

"Alessio!  Alessio, come on.  Wake up!"  She said, nudging him gently.  When she got no reply, Catherine shook him a little forcefully.  "Alessio! Come on!  We need to get you out of here."  

A weak cough came from Alessio; he stared up at her through half-lidded eyes.  Catherine felt her heart give a small tug.  He looked so helpless.  She forced out a smile.  "Come on.  I'll get you out of this room."  Awkwardly trying to get him standing, they almost fell down in a heap, as his weight nearly crushed Catherine's lithe frame.  "That's…it…" She grunted encouragingly, as the two of them took one small step forward, Alessio nearly being dragged by Catherine. 

'There's got to be an exit from this room.' She thought trying not to fall on her side from the heavy person she was half carrying, half dragging along.  The room had no defining outlines, it felt like every step they took, didn't get them closer to a wall; they were moving but staying in place at the same time. 

'What am I going to do?' Catherine groaned inwardly as the two of them stumbled around the bright room.

         ***************************

   - Luxemburg, Earth - Real Time -

The trio held their breaths; the button under Hilde's forefinger had stopped blinking red and had turned a permanent bright orange.

More seconds ticked by, no one said a word, all-waiting for something to happen.

Hilde finally exhaled loudly, taking her finger off the button and shaking her head.  "Nothing happened."

"I don't hear anything either." Sally shook her head as well and laughed.  "Hmmm…well that was silly."  She smiled apologetically to Wufei who was still concentrating on the button.  He finally looked up at her and was about to return her smile when a small tremor shook them and the debris. The tremor lasted a few seconds before stopping. The three of them stood absolutely still, waiting for anything else.

Hilde was about to speak up again when the floor began to shake violently.  "Oh crap!"  She yelled diving behind a wreck, narrowly avoiding part of the ceiling falling on top of her.

"Watch out Wufei!"  Sally yelled, grabbing him to her as they hastily jumped away from the huge fault line that had appeared on the once clean marble floor.

"I told you the button was bad!" Wufei shouted at Sally who ignored him and hurried to Hilde's side.  

"You ok, Hilde?"

"Yeah, we need to get out of here!" 

Nodding once, Sally held onto Hilde's hand as they avoided the gaping hole in the ground and the gaping whole above them.  "Wufei! Move!"

He didn't need to be told again.  They ran down the long corridor, towards the exits.  BOOM.  The trio came to a screeching halt in front of a steel door that had just slammed down in front of them, missing Wufei's nose by centimetres.  "What the-?"

BOOM.  BOOM.  BOOM.  Steel doors covered the other exits.  They turned back to where they had run from.  BOOM.

"This is not good." Hilde whispered as she, Sally and Wufei stared at their surroundings.  They were now trapped in a pentagon shaped room.  'At least its still bright.'  She thought just as the lights went out.  She cringed. 'Me and my big mouth.'

Wufei tightened his grip on Sally's hand.  He tried to gain his bearings in the darkness.  Steel doors surrounded them, they didn't have anything to pry them open and now the lights had turned off.  He resisted the urge to stomp his foot when a feeling of weightlessness came over him before disappearing as quickly as it had arrived.

"Were moving downwards."

"An elevator?"  Sally asked hopefully.  She couldn't see their faces but she could tell Hilde was scared and that Wufei was tense.

No one answered her as whatever they were in, jolted to a stop.  A steel door cranked upwards, orange light streamed into the once dark room.

'Well, here goes nothing.' Thought Hilde as she timidly took a step forward into the orange room.

         ***************************

   - Subspace - Real Time - 

'Stupid idiot.' Mario felt Steven's Black Power and soul vanish into the high-powered atmosphere around the fortress.  They still hadn't learnt how powerful they could be.  Unlike him.  He had mastered the Power.  Bullets wouldn't be able to hurt him and in a short time, nothing would be able to hurt him.

**"The machine."**

Mario shook away the thoughts of Steven's death.  He needed to get the time machine finished.  He would need two Black Council members.  The third member he had already gotten.  'Alessio…' he smirked, remembering the look his son had given him when he had locked him in the Gold room.

He summoned Adam and Mark Locandro.  'Might as well get rid of the entire family.' Mario thought evilly, eyeing the two men.  The idiots hadn't even realised their brother was dead.  The influx of Black Power didn't register in their thick skulls.  They thought too much like humans and not enough like powerful beings - higher than humans.

"Bring Bethany into the lab.  After she finishes the machine, contact me immediately."

The two men bowed to their superior and went off to do his bidding.  He turned to the SeekerSystem.  He could see Dorothy and Quatre running through a corridor.  He dismissed the thought of attacking her now.  The Red Power had somehow manifested in her and he wasn't about to check if she could wield it.  Not yet; not until he had the perfect shield.  Bethany.  When she finished the time machine he would bring her to Dorothy…A cruel smile lit up his face.  Yes, he would enjoy killing them both.

Midii gazed at the man walking in front of her.  He held her hand tightly; tight enough that it had gone numb.  They hadn't spoken a word since she had told him about Catherine.  Trowa had just lapsed into silence, his eyes had hardened and no emotion passed through them.  He had silently taken her hand and now they were walking through endless dim corridors.  She blinked away the tears, wiping away the ones that escaped down her cheeks with her free hand.  Did he blame her for Catherine's death?  She didn't know and all this confusion and pain and heartache were feeding the Gold Power in her.  She couldn't control the glow; it dimmed then brightened then dimmed again.  

"Get up!"

Trowa and Midii froze on the spot.  Midii recognized the voice.  It was one of those men.  'Bethany.' She thought.  Trowa pushed her behind him. He leaned carefully against the wall, trying to peek around the corner.

"Stupid butana!"  

Midii looked at herself desperately, as the fear made her glow even brighter.  'No! Please not now!'

"What the…" A new voice muttered.

Trowa looked at Midii's glowing form and quickly assessed the situation.  In a spilt second, he had pushed himself away from Midii, pointed the gun in the direction of the two voices and fired one shot before he was hurled backwards into the wall behind him.

Power overflowed from Midii as she saw Trowa crumble to the ground.  "NO!"  With all the energy she could hold she threw it all at the direction of the voices.  The corridor lit up brightly for what seemed like an eternity until all that was left was an afterimage.  Midii fell to her knees, exhausted.  In front of her lay three bodies.  One didn't move at all, Black power seeping out of it.  The body a few feet away from it twitched as Gold power surrounded it.  The third body lay still as well, but it glowed a dull red.  A groan behind her, tore her sight from the morbid picture in front of her.

"Trowa."  She stayed rooted to the floor, as Trowa gingerly picked himself up and walked towards her.  He fell beside her, his hands reaching out and touching her face.  Blue-gray orbs met one emerald orb.  Everything faded away until it was just them sitting there.  He was so relieved His lips parted slightly and Midii forgot everything and leaned ever so slightly towards him - 

"Owww…owie…" Bethany lifted her head to see Midii and Trowa staring at her.  A memory of this happening before vaguely wandered in her mind before what had just occurred hit her like a ton of bricks.  She stared in shock at the dead body of Adam Locandro and the twitching body of Mark Locandro.  Propping herself up with her arms, she felt two pairs of hands help her up.  A deliriously happy smile crossed Bethany's face as she looked at Trowa then Midii.  She'd been rescued!  Tears of relief bubbled up and she flung herself at Trowa and Midii, engaging both of them in an impromptu group hug.  

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you!"  She babbled out.  "Where are the others?  Did they get Cathie?"

The happy relief Bethany felt evaporated, as the room temperature seemed to drop 10 degrees.  The wide grin shrank back, as the silence from both of them told her the story.  She looked at Midii who didn't meet her eyes and Trowa who wasn't looking at anything in particular.

"We need to find the others." Bethany jumped a little as Trowa spoke quietly.  It had seemed like an eternity had past since someone has spoken.  The two women nodded and Trowa held on to Midii's hand while Midii's held Bethany's hand.

'I hate silence.' Bethany thought as they walked single file through the dark shifting corridors.  She looked at her two silent companions.  Trowa was in the lead, strikingly alert for any danger that might jump out at them.  Midii looked more subdued, a dull glow emitted from her.  Bethany stared at her a little more closely.  "You know, Midii.  There's never been a Gatekeeper who was a Council member before."

The two in front of her stopped walking and Midii gave her a questioning look while Trowa surveyed the surroundings.

"I mean, there's never been one recorded.  I mean, the Council members are human; some can't help having affairs." Bethany mentally slapped herself, for implying that Midii was borne from an illicit affair.  Midii raised an eyebrow at Bethany who stammered out, "Uh, I mean your family might be distantly related to a Gold Council member…Yeah!  Since Gold Power can flow through female or male genes." 

Midii gave a small smile at her and Bethany sighed loudly.  "It's ok, Bethany…What do you mean the Gold Power can flow through male and female genes?"  They had started walking again, Bethany now beside Midii with Trowa still walking in front.

Bethany smiled back, glad that the silence had been replaced.  "Oh!  The old powers were broken up into five groups.  Red, Gold, Green, Blue and of course, Black."  She spit the last word out before continuing, "Red and Green can only flow through the female genes while Blue and Black can only flow through the male genes.  Gold can flow through both."

Midii nodded for her to continue, she also didn't like the enforced silence, her thoughts kept going back to Catherine and how stupid she had been in not realising what that, that _monster_ was about to do.

"So your mother or father must have had the Gold Power, so that's why you have it." Bethany nodded away, not missing a beat in what she was saying.  "My mother had the Red Power, as did Dorothy's mother.  Our mothers got it from her mother and so on.  It can only be passed on from mother to daughter to daughter's daughter.  It can't be passed on from mother to son to son's daughter.  It's the same with the male oriented powers.  Only the roles reversed.  Father to son and so on."  Bethany took a deep breath after that and was about to say more when Lucas and James Di Cartelli appeared in front of them.

"Not again…"

_'Are you ok?'_ Aquamarine eyes stared concernedly at Dorothy's pale blue ones.  She nodded, a little out of breath after non-stop running through the shifting corridors - which tried to turn them into pancakes - for what seemed like forever.  The walls had stopped moving a few minutes ago but they had kept moving forward just in case.

_'You?'_

Quatre nodded and motioned to a door where a brighter light than the ones down the corridor emanated from.  They cautiously walked towards it until they were right next to it.  They pressed against the wall and Quatre peeked into the room.

_'What?'_ Dorothy stared in surprise at Quatre who had just given her the image of what he had seen.  _'It can't be Bethany's lab.'_  The both of them walked quietly into the room, taking in the panels, screens and weird looking metal pods next to a seat with a keyboard, levers and wires hanging out of it.

_'How…?'_ Quatre turned to Dorothy who had walked towards one of the weird looking metal pods.  _'Why did they replicate Bethany's lab?'_

Dorothy just shook her head mystified by what she was looking at…it seemed to be drawing her closer.  The metal pod was taller than she was but it wasn't very roomy.  Someone could stand but not sit in there.  She inspected the buttons and the lever at the side.  She was about to step into the pod when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

She turned and gazed inquiringly at Quatre who shook his head.  _'There's something strange about all this…'_

Dorothy was about to reply when a voice behind them spoke up.

"You've got the Red Power? Ha!  This is going to be fun."

The two of them came face to face with Nicholas Saladino who was building up Black Power in his hands.  In a spilt second he had thrown it at Quatre sending him flying across the room into on of the screens.  Dorothy dived and rolled sideways, avoiding the blast.

"No!"  She screamed; raw Red Power fluctuated in her as she felt Quatre fall into unconsciousness.  A furious roar erupted from her throat and she launched herself at Nicholas.  Nicholas hastily teleported behind her and the Red Power Dorothy had thrown hit one of the screens, spraying broken glass everywhere.

"Missed me you - " He didn't finish his sentence as the Red Power through him off-balance, backwards into one of the pods.  The pod's door automatically closed.  

Breathing heavily, Dorothy glared at Nicholas through the small viewing window.  He banged his fists at the glass and through Black Power at it but it didn't even scratch the window.  A soft whirring sound came from the pod and the buttons on the side began to glow one after the other.  Dorothy stared in fascination as the lever automatically pulled down right after all the buttons had lit up.  A muted scream came from the pod, as Nicholas felt his power being sucked out of him.

Dorothy stumbled back as she saw Nicholas writhe in pain as all his power and his soul was taken from him.  "Oh…my…God…" Dorothy couldn't take her eyes off the sight as Nicholas stopped twitching all of a sudden and his body slumped forward against the pod.  A loud jolt brought Dorothy back to reality as the Black Power and Nicholas' soul connected to the time machine and a portal in front of it began to open.

Dorothy hurried towards Quatre's prone body, laying her hands to his mind; a red glow surrounded Quatre and he opened his eyes.

"What…?" Quatre stared at the sight behind Dorothy and gulped.  He grabbed her hand and they ran.

Mario's eyes snapped open.  Another one of his men had died.  He was about to teleport when the voices stopped him cold.

**"It has begun."**

A cruel smile spread across his face.  The time machine had been activated.  The end of the world had begun.

Catherine looked helplessly at Alessio's sickly form.  She had given up trying to walk and carry him as well and was now sitting in the very bright room waiting for…well anything really.

A raspy cough escaped Alessio's mouth.  "Alessio…Come on, we'll make it out of here." Catherine wrapped her arms around Alessio's shoulders, rubbing his side comfortingly.  She didn't know what else to do.  Him being close to her had somehow helped him a little.  She supposed it was because she was carrying some of the 'power' in her and he was being sustained through that because she had tried to walk by herself and when she came back he had gotten worse.  Alessio relaxed into her embrace and she wrapped her other arm around him.  She rocked gently to and fro, trying to lessen his pain as much as she could.  She had done this when Trowa had suffered amnesia and it had calmed his nightmares.  She stared upwards at the ever bright ceiling and squinted slightly the ceiling seemed to get brighter.

"Oh…" She shielded her face from the sudden bright light with her hand.  A thought of heaven flashed before her eyes as she suddenly felt calm.

"AHHH!"

A scream broke that thought as Catherine turned to who had screamed, her hold on Alessio tightening.  She blinked a few times; hoping against hope that what she saw in front of her wasn't a hallucination.  Standing there was Trowa hugging Midii close to him and Bethany laying flat on her back.

Midii had her eyes closed and the golden glow around her wasn't diminishing.  Trowa blinked at his surroundings, his eyes falling on Catherine and Alessio.

"Cathie…"

Midii collapsed in Trowa's arms and Bethany rolled onto her elbows to stare wide-eyed, in disbelief at Catherine.  A click was heard and Bethany looked up at Trowa who was holding up Midii with one arm and had a gun pointed at Alessio in the other hand.

"Cathie get away from him."

"No!  Trowa, no! Don't shoot!  He's in pain! He needs our help. Trowa, please, put down the gun."  Catherine pleaded to her younger brother, varying emotions both showing on their faces.  Trowa nodded at his sister and dropped the gun to his side.  He fell to his knees, taking Midii's sleeping form with him.  He laid her down gently and crawled towards his sister.

"Cathie…" Trowa reached Catherine who unceremoniously let go of Alessio and gave her brother a crushing hug.

         ***************************

         - Unknown Place – Unknown Time -

_"You can't really be considering doing this!" The voice yelled again.  Relena gritted her teeth.  The dream again._

_"It is our destiny and our right.  I will do this and I will do this with or without you." The voice answered back again.  The voices were so familiar now.  There was no green haze and Relena walked steadily around the room, every step she took, brought her closer to the voices.  They were getting louder and clearer.  _

_"Consider what you're doing!  Don't be foolish!  The world has changed, you can't possibly expect everything to go back the way it was!"_

_"We were meant to rule.  It is what was prophesied so long ago.  You cannot stop destiny and fate."  Relena was so close she could feel it.  Relena waited a few moments as she waited for the green haze to fill the room again.  It didn't happen.  Surprised she walked closer and closer._

_"I won't be a part of this!  I will stop you, I'll tell rest of them!" _

Relena was now standing next to the two people but their faces were still not there. "Then I will have to make sure you can't do that, then."  "What…? You – you…we're…But you're my - " 

_She saw them.  Their faces; just before the green haze took her again.  She had seen their faces.  She knew who they were.  She knew._

_         ****************************_

Person utterly sad that mini-break is finished and she only got One chapter done:

Hi everyone!  …ummm…so, what'd you guys think?  It's nearly finished! It's nearly finished! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!  Ummm…and there WILL be JOY in this fic…I just don't know where…BUT there will be Joy!  Uhh…R&R, C&C, flames and e-mail most welcome along with chocolates and assorted junk food.  ^__^  I will get to work on chapter 7 soon…hehehe…yeah, soon…


	8. Chapter 7: Riddles answered, the Enemy i...

**JUST FIXED SOME OF THE SILLY MISTAKES, STILL NOT BETA-READ THOUGH!!!  **

DISCLAIMER: *gulps* ummm…hehehe, sorry?  I SWEAR I never thought it would take THIS long to get One chapter out!!  Thanks to everyone who reviewed last time!!! (two more reviews and I get seventy! Yeah!!)  I'm so glad you all are so incredibly patient! School and life (what life?!?! It's all school!!) are taking up more time then I have to give, *sob* I have so many ideas, I wish I could write them all down!!! *hic* ^__^ I really really hope this chapter is good enough! (though it hasn't been beta read yet and to me seems ridiculously jumpy).  Hehe, thanks again for reading and reviewing!!! Oh! Oh!!  And thanks to Anne!! For the title!!

**'bold'** indicates the Darkness is speaking.

_'italics'_ indicates thought-speak.  I really need to find I better word for this.

Joy to My Life

Chapter 7: Riddles Answered, the Enemy is Revealed.

By: J.B. Santiago

   - Luxemburg, Earth - Real Time -

"Bzzzzz…" Whirred the dull orange glow of the emergency lights.  Hilde let out the breath she was holding.  Sally, Wufei and herself were now standing at the entrance of another control room.  The wall-to-wall screens weren't showing anything and the control panels weren't active.

"An emergency control room?" Sally muttered more to herself than anyone else.

Wufei walked slowly around the room, almost expecting something to jump out at him.  "The equipment looks outdated."

Hilde and Sally walked up to a different part of the control panels.  On closer inspection you could see the differences in the make of the panels.  It was like comparing the cockpit of a Leo to Wing Zero's cockpit.  

"If this is an older version of the control room we were just in…do you think this one would be able to open the portal to Subspace?" asked Hilde as she scanned the panel for that elusive green 'On' switch.

"Maybe."  Wufei turned to head towards Sally when a slight rumbling was heard and the trio froze, Wufei glanced down at his hand that was holding a lever.  He had pulled it?  He glared at his treacherous hand as the room shook for a few moments.  It stopped shaking almost as soon as it had started.  The sounds of creaking gears emanated from the room and three panels popped out from the sides of the main control panels.  

Sally stared at the new panel curiously, as the other two did the same.  There were five points on the panel.  'A pentagon.' Sally thought, as she traced the shape with her forefinger.  The inside of the pentagon was big enough to fit a hand in there.  Almost in a trance, she delicately placed her hand inside the pentagon.  A gasp escaped her lips as each of the five points lit up in a different colour.  Red, Blue, Gold, Green and the last point stayed Black.  Not taking her hand off the panel she exclaimed, "I think I found the On switch!  Place your hand on the panel, inside the five points!"

Hilde and Wufei nodded and placed their hands inside their panels, the same thing happening to them.

"Now what?" Hilde asked anxiously.

Sally frowned she had thought if all three of them had lit up each of the panels, the main control panels and screens would turn on.  She was about to suggest something when her hand sunk into the panel like a plaster cast.  The five points slightly rose, a circle forming inside of the pentagon.  Sally tried to lift her hand but found she couldn't move it.  Mildly panicking, she tried moving it to the right, finding it moved quite freely.  She did a 90degree turn and the colour her middle finger was directly pointing at started to glow.  "It's like a key!" Sally sighed happily, "You need to turn it, like a key!"

"Which way!?"

"What's the balance of Gold?" Wufei looked at the five coloured points, his mind working overtime.  

"What?!"

"Look!  The first colour we're pointing at is Gold.  What is the colour it balances?"

Hilde shut her eyes tightly, trying to remember that fateful night when Bethany and Dorothy had told them of the Darkness, the Greater Council, this whole bloody mess!  Her eye opened wide as the answer came to her.  "Black!"  With that she turned the circle inside the pentagon, towards the Black point.  Now Gold and Black slowly sunk back into the panel, glowing their respective colours.  

"Blue and Green!"  Sally yelled as she first pointed at Blue then Green.  Those two points began to glow sinking back into their original place.

The only one left was the Red point.  The three of them simultaneously held their breaths as they turned 180degrees until their middle finger was pointing directly at the Red point.  It began to glow, a red pulsing light igniting all the panels.  Sally wrenched her hand away from the panel taking a step back from the red lights.  The screens crackled back to life, the main panels joining them.  The red light subsided and the room became operational again.

"Yes!"  Hilde pumped her hand in the air.  "Back in business!"  She gave hurried hugs to Wufei and Sally before rushing to one side of the panel, that in the other control room had opened the portal to Subspace.  Typing quickly and signalling the other two to head to their stations, she sent out a silent prayer to whichever deity would listen as she pulled the lever.  A tense few silent moments passed as nothing happened.  Then one of the screens slid downwards and the portal opened up.

Yells of relief and joy flooded the room.  Hilde did a little jig while Wufei lifted a laughing Sally up and semi-twirled her around the room.  

"How did you know which way to turn the panel like that, Wufei?"  Sally asked after the euphoria died down and they started to set up the monitoring systems on Subspace.

Wufei just shook his head and gave her an enigmatic smile.  Truth be told he didn't know why he had pulled that lever or how he knew how to turn that coloured panel.  A colour emitted suddenly in the portal for a nanosecond.  The three of them missed a slight blimp on the radar as it disappeared as quickly as it had come.

            *********************************

  - Subspace - Real Time -     

Warmth.  She felt safe and warm.  Like a cocoon of impenetrable golden thread was wrapped around her, keeping the pain and the hurt far away…

"Midii…" A soft voice floated other ears.

She snuggled closer in her cocoon, not wanting to leave its safe haven.

"Midii…please wake up…" That voice again.  Her cozy little world was slowly slipping away from her.  She knew that voice…Midii drowsily shook her head, clinging to the safety of her golden wonderland.

"Midii…"  
A face formulated in her mind to accommodate the voice.  A small smile tugged at the corners of her face as she breathed out the name of the invader, letting go of her golden cocoon.  "Trowa…"

Trowa returned Midii's smile with one of his own, as she whispered his name, her eyes fluttering open.

"Sleeping beauty awakes!  And you didn't even need to kiss her, Trowa.  Awww shucks."  Bethany lightly teased, offering a hand to Midii as Trowa helped her to her feet.  Trowa's face remained expressionless but he could feel heat building around his face.

"Midii!"  She turned to her right, in shock at who was in front of her.  Catherine rushed up to Midii and hugged her fiercely.  "I'm so glad you're ok!"

"Cathie…?"  Tears tumbled freely down her cheeks as Midii hugged Catherine back with as much intensity.  Catherine was alive! "You're alive!"  She sobbed out, exhausted and overjoyed all at once.

"Thanks to you, Midii, thanks to you." Catherine sniffled happily, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand while still hugging her.  Midii was about mumble something back when Catherine abruptly stopped hugging her, remembering a more pressing matter, to hold her at arms length.  "We need to get out of here." She pointed to the prone body on the floor.  "This place is killing him.  We need to get him out of here."

The golden room grew brighter as Midii realised that is was Alessio, anger building up in her until she glowed with the room.  Catherine grabbed onto Midii's shoulders and shook her lightly.  "No Midii!  Stop!  You're hurting him!"

The room didn't dim but Midii stared at Catherine surprised.  "Cathie, that's Alessio!  He locked us up in this God forsaken place!"

"He also beat me to a pulp." Bethany chipped in, as the other three standing turned towards her, like they had forgotten she was there.  "Midii, I already tried reasoning with her but she's adamant that, _that scum_ should be kept alive."

Catherine looked around desperately at the three unforgiving faces.  She shook her head.  "No.  I don't think he's bad.  Someone put him in here before I was here.  I know Midii couldn't have done it because she didn't have the power until we were thrown in the Pool.  He DID save us from the Darkness.  I'm not going to leave him here!"

"Argh!  He's from the Black Council!  He helped blow up the Greater Council so they could take over the world!  He kidnaps not one but THREE of us!  He forfeited the right to be saved a long time ago.  He deserves to die in this Gold powered…" Bethany stopped her angry tirade short, blinking a few times, quizzically looking at Catherine then at Midii then at Alessio than back at Catherine again.  "Did you say he was here before you?"

Catherine nodded eagerly.  "I tripped over him.  I thought he was dead when I first saw him."

"What is it, Bethany?"  Trowa asked the blonde who was now frowning thoughtfully, biting her fingernails on her left hand, her right hand propping up her left elbow.

"…Midii teleported Catherine here when she realised that Mario was about to hit Cathie…" Bethany started to pace back and forth from Trowa and Midii to Catherine and Alessio.  "…But Midii didn't make this place because it would have been magically impossible for her to create this Gold binding room and imprison Alessio before she entered the Pool…" She stopped in front of Alessio and kneeled beside him. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him slightly awake.  "Who put you in here?!" 

Alessio gave no response, just looking at her pitifully with half-lidded eyes.  "Bethany, don't!" Catherine kneeled beside him as well, removing Bethany's grasp on his shoulders.

Bethany shook her head and stood up looking confused.  "I don't get it…How can there be a Gold binding room in the middle of a fortress made by the Black Council?  Why would you have a place that could neutralise your powers?  It doesn't make sense!  How could they have done it…?"Her eyes widened in revelation, "Oh my God!  Mario!  The time machine!  He's going to kill his own son!" Bethany smiled triumphantly at figuring out what was going on, however morbid it was.

"Bethany, what are you talking about? What time machine?" Midii could feel herself getting stronger in this Gold 'binding' room, as Bethany had called it.

"He's going to throw Alessio into one of the Pods!  Like what he was going to do to you two, only he didn't expect you to have the Gold Power when he threw you into the Pool!" Bethany said excitedly.  Seeing their even more confused faces, she continued, "The Pods are connected to the time machine.  There's three of them and it's the power source but the only thing that could safely power the time machine is the old power and the soul of that someone who could wield the old power."  She pointed to Catherine and Midii, "Like a Council member or a Gatekeeper with the old power absorbed in you."  

"He would kill his own son for a machine??" Catherine asked incredulously, cradling Alessio's sleeping form. 

Bethany blinked in surprise. She had never known the Black Council very well, hadn't wanted to know them…but they were a tight knit group.  Would Mario really sacrifice his only son?  But then who else could have teleported Alessio here?  It WAS a Gold binding room.  It would have hurt Mario just to teleport someone in here, even without going there…She let out an annoyed growl.  "I don't know!  I don't know how a Gold binding room could be here!  I don't know if Mario could be evil enough to kill his own son!  I don't know who put Alessio here!  I don't know!  I don't know!"  Bethany let out an exhausted sigh, before sinking to the floor, her hands balled into angry fists.

Midii placed a comforting hand on the younger girl's shoulder.  "It's ok Bethany…If you're right - " Midii held up a hand to stop Bethany's protest.  "If you think Mario put Alessio here to kill him later, than we should probably get out of here."

Giving a short nod and accepting Midii's hand, Bethany looked at Alessio's sleeping form and Catherine holding him determinedly.  "If you're going to teleport all of us out of here, I don't think you should focus on Alessio.  It might kill him." Bethany acknowledged the small smile of thanks Catherine gave her before going to he and helping her left Alessio up to his feet.

A strong, gentle hand squeezed her left shoulder.  Midii turned to look up at Trowa's profile only to find him leaning closer to her face than either of them realised.  His face hidden by those bangs could not hide the concern.  "Are you sure you'll be strong enough to teleport all of us?"

Her heart flipped as his hot breath caressed her face.  'Pull yourself together, Midii!' Mentally berating herself before nodding more confidently than she felt.  "This room has increased my strength.  I'll be able to do it."

Trowa didn't say anything but he held her hand as they walked towards the other three.  He placed an arm around his sister's shoulders as Midii held onto Bethany's hand creating a circle of sorts.  Midii closed her eyes and felt the Gold Power surge in her, like it had a mind of its own.  The room brightened to an almost blinding intensity and began to tremor. She focused on Trowa first, then Cathie, then Bethany before briefly focusing on Alessio.  The tremors increased violently as the Gold Power flowed out of and around Midii until everything stopped.  Silence ensued in the now empty, dimming room.

"I know…"

Heero raised an eyebrow, peering curiously at Relena who had suddenly woken up.  Her eyes were wide and alert.  "What Relena?"

"Put me down."  Heero complied with Relena's wishes although he still had a protective arm around her waist.

"What is it ojousan?" Duo walked closer to the couple, casually glancing around the dark hallway for any signs of danger.

"The enemy!  We're not fighting the Black Council!" Relena exclaimed, wildly flailing her arms around.  Ever since she had woken up, the headaches were gone, her mind clear and calm.

Heero gently pressed his palm onto her forehead.  "Relena you're burning up - "

She glared back at him before removing his hand from her forehead.  "I'm fine Heero.  I'm trying to tell you that you don't know who you're fighting!"

"Relena!"  The trio turned to see an out of breath Quatre and Dorothy run up to them.

"Relena…Next time you decide to do something…stupid…tell us beforehand!" huffed out Dorothy, her tone of voice irritated but the relief in her eyes, she couldn't hide.

"Are you guys ok?" asked the ever-thoughtful Quatre.

"Yeah, fine 'cept for a sore shoulder, a grumpy perfect soldier and ojousan losing it." Supplied Duo with a lopsided grin.

"Hey!" Relena exclaimed while Heero merely grunted.

Duo quickly continued on, "So why are you two in such a rush?" he stared suspiciously down the dark corridor where Dorothy and Quatre had just come from, only to see the walls shift into a dead end.

The two looked at each other and Duo sighed exasperated.  "Hey! Try not to talk in your minds!  Not everyone here is a mind reader."

Quatre apologised while Dorothy frowned - probably at both of them.

"We found an exact replica of Bethany's lab.  It had these three containers…They looked like upright coffins…" Quatre trailed off as Dorothy closed her eyes as if in pain.

Duo gesticulated with his hand, "And?"

"Anyway.  It was connected to this contraption that looked like a seat with a screen, keyboard and about a hundred wires sticking out of it." Quatre said describing the time machine, but he didn't know that.  "We were looking around and then one of the Black Council members -"

"Nicholas Saladino." Dorothy interjected softly.

Quatre gave a short nod before continuing, "Nicholas Saladino materialised in front of us and hit me with the Black Power, I guess…"

"He knocked Quatre unconscious and tried to do the same thing to me but I somehow shot Red Power at him and he…fell."  Dorothy rubbed the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger, staring at the ground.

"He fell?  That's why you two were running like hell was after you?"  Duo raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

Dorothy rolled her eyes impatiently, sighing angrily.  "He fell into one of the containers."

"So." Heero glared at Dorothy but his mind still on what Relena had said earlier.

"I'm getting there." Dorothy gritted out.  "When he fell into the container it automatically shut and…the Black power was sucked out of him."

Really?  Great then!  There is a way to defeat them after all…Right?" Duo didn't like the pained expression on Dorothy and Quatre's faces.  "What?"

"It took his soul as well…then what it was attached to switched on and now there's a portal open in the lab."  Quatre finished.

"Portal?  I'm guessing this is a bad thing…Oh great, just great!" Duo stared up at the ceiling in a mock gesture of 'why me?'

A sudden flash of light alerted the group to the end of the ever-changing corridors.  Heero and Duo readied their weapons at the light, now dimming rapidly.  Dorothy started to glow a soft red while Quatre stood in a defensive position and Relena momentarily forgot what she had wanted to tell everyone.  They walked slowly towards the end of the corridor, the light almost completely gone.

Relena let out a surprised gasp at the sight before her.  Two men, sprawled on the floor with what could only be described as Gold lightening running through them.  Before Heero could react to Relena, she had already knelt down next to one of them, pressing two fingers into the crook of the neck, searching for a pulse.  The Gold power not affecting her, as she felt a dull beat then another come from the unconscious man.  

"Relena."  Heero grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet, all the while pointing his gun at the comatose man.

"He's alive."

"So is the other one." Quatre said from his position next to the prone man.  Quatre looked at Dorothy silently communicating with her.

"Its James and Lucas Di Cartelli." Quatre spoke again, reaching out to hold Dorothy's hand, to get up.

"What happened to them?" asked Duo eyeing the twitching bodies with morbid curiosity.

_'The Gold Power…But how?  From whom?'_ Dorothy relayed her thoughts to Quatre who didn't answer straight away, bewilderment etched all over his face.

"Well?  Hey blondie!  What's going on?!" Duo asked again, his hand tightening around the gun, instinctively.

Dorothy didn't seem to hear what he had said but she answered his question, in a confused tone.  "It's the Gold power…?"

Duo was now officially freaking out, not that he would show it but when was the last time Dorothy was confused?  He gulped involuntarily, wishing with all his soul to be with Hilde now, holding her close.

"The Gold power?" Heero asked, still cold and calculating except that he was holding Relena close to him and away from the comatose bodies of the Di Cartelli's. 

"The Gold Power is the balance to the Black Power.  It really all depends on who hits the other first.  Whoever gets hit first will have their power neutralised.  They'll be completely ineffective unless they are healed by...I don't know how but I know they can be healed." Dorothy motioned to the bodies on the floor.  "Someone with the Gold Power hit them first…but that would mean the Gold Council hadn't been destroyed in the explosion at Luxemburg.  Well, maybe at least one Gold Council member survived and found their way here…maybe they're the ones were supposed to be fighting…" Dorothy's face mirrored Quatre's both unsure what was happening.

Before Heero could ask any more questions Relena spoke up for the first time since Dorothy and Quatre had arrived.  "No.  It's not the Gold Council."

Four heads turned to look at Relena's deadly serious expression.  "It not the Gold Council."  She repeated again.

Dorothy opened her mouth to rebut but Relena didn't let her. "We're not even fighting the Black Council.  Not really anyway."  She had everyone's attention now, everyone not noticing the walls close around them, giving them only one way out.  "No, no we're not fighting them.  It's the Green Council."

Mario looked through the small window at the dead body of Nicholas Saladino, slumped forward in one of the Pods.  Blank eyes stared back at him.  A smirk crawled over his face as he stared in wonder at the whirling portal open before him.  Two more Pods to be filled and he would be able to travel through time safely.  He walked right up to the time machine and set the co-ordinates the voices told him to set.  He gave each little key a hearty push.  He almost felt like humming, almost.  He closed his eyes for a moment, mentally probing where all his little pawns were positioned.  A cruel smile replaced his smirk as his eyes snapped open in satisfaction, everything was going as planne –

"AAHHH!"  Mario convulsed violently forward, as he lost himself for a moment, his features completely changing for a millisecond before his features returned to normal.  The power surged all around him, sensing the change in its inhabitant.  Sweat beads ran down his forehead as he staggered backwards from the time machine.  That, that _bitch_ knew!  He could feel the power seeping from him; he could feel her channel his power.  He needed to get out of there.  Closing his eyes again, he teleported using all his strength, to the Pool room and fell into the Pool.  In here, she could not tap into his power without overdosing on the old power.  He was safe again.

Alessio's eyes snapped open.  The pain of the Gold Power wasn't all around him anymore.  How had he teleported away from, from that prison?  Even with his eyes wide open, he couldn't see anything but dark and light spots.  Sounds of voices slowly infiltrated his ears and he numbly felt someone holding him close to their body.  He blinked numerous times but his eyesight didn't get any better, however his hearing did.

"…Ssio, can you..ear…me?" The voice seemed distant and disjointed but Alessio tried to answer by nodding his head silently.

"Hey! You big lug! Get up!" Another voice, louder this time…or maybe it was screaming at him…

More voices talking invaded his ears as he desperately tried to see clearly.  The person holding him seemed extremely bright in his eyes, as he tried to get a better look at them.  He felt the Black Power slowly strengthen in him, his vision getting better while his hearing returning to normal.

"Oh my God!  Cathie!" He heard the voice that had yelled at him exclaim.  Rough hands pushed him away from the person that was holding him and he fell back, hitting his head on the hard floor.

He blinked a few more times; his eyes now back to normal.  Slowly getting up from his lying position he came face to face with the barrel of a gun.

"What did you do to her?" 

Alessio's eyes travelled from the gun to the arm of the person holding it before finally meeting eye to eye with the person.  One very angry green eye glared down at him.  'It was that clown.  What was his name?  Barton.  Trowa Barton' he dimly thought.  The gun's safety lock clicked off and Alessio knew he was still too weak to put up a shield or to knock Trowa down.  Neither moved from their position.

"Trowa…don't.  He didn't mean it."  

Alessio dared to look away from Trowa and at the voice of that had just stood up for him.  Catherine Bloom leaned tiredly against Bethany and Midii who wasn't looking too well either.  Memories of what had happened in that Gold room rushed back to him and the realisation hit him like a tonne of cement.  His father had thrown him in the Gold room.  His father had the Darkness in him.  Catherine had tried to save him…no HAD saved him, if he was now out of the Gold room.  Why did she do that?  He had kidnapped her, in the first place! Was it because she was repaying him for saving her life from the Darkness…He had only been following Trowa, he hadn't really no intention of saving any of the Gatekeepers, only to stop the Darkness.  Alessio frowned, she wouldn't have done it because she cared, did she? So many conflicting questions and emotions ran around his mind, not noticing Trowa lower his gun as he just stood there staring at Catherine in doubt.

"Trowa, here.  Help me with your sister." Bethany motioned with her head, signalling to Trowa to come and hold his sister up.  Trowa obliged hugging Catherine's side allowing Midii to sit down and rest.

Alessio didn't move when Bethany walked up to him and slapped him hard across the face.  "That's for kidnapping me."  She glared at him but it didn't last for very long.  She let out an annoyed sigh and plonked herself down next to him.  "I'm not like you to kick a wounded animal." She said with a huff. "I know you're incredibly weak right now, even though you're not in the Gold binding room anymore.  So be like a good hostage and just sit there and answer my questions."  

Alessio sneered at her.  "I'll never help you." 

Bethany's eyes grew wide in outrageous, her hand balling into a fist about to smash into his face…then she unclenched her hand and gave him a glare that could only be achieved with forked eyebrows.  She pointed to where Catherine was being held by Trowa and Midii who was leaning against a wall, exhausted.  "See that woman over there." Her voice growing harder, "Catherine found you in that Gold room and she's the only reason you are alive right now.  She gave you some of the old power that is stored inside of her.  She kept Trowa from pumping you full of lead.  She convinced Midii – who could have easily killed you with the Gold power - to not leave you rotting in that Gold room.  You owe her your pathetic excuse of a life." With that, Bethany moved closer to Alessio until their faces were only an inch apart.  "You WILL answer my questions."

Alessio sat dumbfounded and just a little bit scared at the person so close to him.  She was right.  He owed Catherine and the three of them, his life.  He barely nodded to Bethany as he felt weird emotions running amuck inside him.

She moved away from his face and nodded back.  "Good.  First question: Who put you in the Gold room, anyway?"

The question barely registered in his mind as memories – not all too pleasant came back to life in his mind.  When was the last time anyone had cared that much about him?  He hadn't known his mother, she had died giving birth to him.  One of the many reasons his father had always been severe to him.  His older brother had always taken his father's side.  Mario Jr had never really stood up for Alessio, even though Alessio had always taken the blame for him whenever he was in trouble.  He loved his family.  No one had really cared too much for him, though.  He thought he preferred it that way.  All those years and only now did he realise he was hiding under that tough bully façade he put out.  He had hurt them, her Catherine but then why did she - nearly complete stranger care so much to save his life?  A dam inside of him, holding back years of tumultuous emotions broke. He felt his eyes water and a sob escaped from his lips.

Bethany looked at him surprised.  Was this a trick?  She watched shocked as Alessio covered his eyes with his hands and started to cry.  No.  This wasn't a trick, he really was crying.  "Hey…Alessio…c'mon.  The question wasn't that bad was it?" A nervous sigh escaped her lips as she awkwardly put an arm around Alessio's shoulders and patted his side.  "umm…there, there?"

Alessio looked at Bethany with dark eyes, then he looked at Catherine again before turning back to look at Bethany.  "My father…My father put me in that room." His voice didn't falter once.

_'Augustus.'_  Yelled Mario as he floated inside of the Pool.

'_What is it, Mario?'_ Augustus Saladino Jr telepathically replied.  He was currently in the SeekerSystem control room trying to track down where everyone was except there seemed to be a problem with the System.  He had already channelled a vast amount of Black power into it but the viewing screens were showing either broken or no images at all.  He didn't like this at all.

_'Dorothy has killed your nephew.'_

Augustus felt himself go cold inside, his eyes turning completely black as the old power flowed in him. _'What?!'_

Mario didn't allow him to rant, continuing in an authoritative tone. _'Go to the lab.  Bring your sons; she's there with those pathetic humans.  Kill them all.'_

Augustus didn't need to hear the last part as murderous thoughts ran around his head.  He vanished in a shroud of Black, not thinking twice that his old friend, Mario Luciano was lying to him.

Mario smirked, he was back in control again.  **The time is now.**  Mario closed his eyes and nodded.  He would kill what remained of Black Council – using their power and souls to power the machine before destroying Dorothy and her pathetic little friends.  Not even that simpering fool, Relena, could stop him now.

'Why…?' Bethany's mind was going into overdrive.  Everything Alessio had told her didn't clear up anything.  She felt like screaming in frustration.  It just didn't make sense!  How could Mario, someone who had the Black power be immune to a Gold binding room? Even if the Darkness was in him, the Black power would become useless…unless…unless Mario wasn't who they thought he was.  Then he could he be?  If there was a Gold binding room made, then did that mean they were really fighting the Gold Council?  But hadn't Alessio said his father had told him that Giovanni Andretti (Head of the Gold Council) had been tricked into building it…but that didn't make sense either!  Bethany rubbed her temple with her thumbs.  Why would Giovanni Andretti agree with Mario Luciano?  They were from opposing Councils and had never gotten along.  Why, why, WHY?

"This is so annoying - " The rest of what she was going to say was lost as a Black energy ball was blasted in their direction. Five bodies flew in the air and landed with a sickening thud against the opposite wall.  Alessio felt the Black power seep into his skin as he eyed who had hit them.  Two men stood a few metres away from them.  The Saladino brothers.  

"Alessio?"  Caesar Saladino said agape. 

Alessio glanced at the fallen bodies of his companions.  Quickly assessing that Catherine was unconscious but breathing, as was Bethany while Trowa was conscious but not trying to move, protectively hiding an awake Midii.  Good.  He needed that girl to be awake.  Silent communication passed between the three that were awake.  He knew what to do.

Standing up, surprisingly not shaking at all.  He spoke in his most threatening voice.  "You idiots!  You're supposed to be hurting them, not me!"

Augustus Jr and Caesar looked sheepishly at him before Caesar spoke up again.  "Father called us to the lab.  He said they - " he pointed to the fallen bodies, " - were in the lab and that we were to kill them all."

"They killed Nicholas." Added Augustus menacingly.

Alessio nodded gravely.  Before carefully picking up Catherine.  "MY father said to bring them into the lab and kill them there.  We need their energy."  He motioned to Augustus to carry the unconscious Bethany.

"Aw, why do I have to carry the guy?" whined Caesar as they walked towards the fallen bodies.  He bent down to grab Trowa by the arm, when suddenly, Trowa swivelled and high-kicked him in the face, breaking his nose.  "Argh!"  Before he could say another word Trowa punched him in the solar plexus knocking him out.

Augustus made a move to his brother's side about to slam Trowa with the Black power when he was struck head on with a blast of the Gold power, courtesy of Midii.  The bright Gold power emanated outwards and ebbed away slowly, making Alessio feel weak but he steadied still holding onto Catherine.  He watched as Augustus fall to his knees then land on his face, comatose as the Gold power surged in his veins. 

"Ooooh…" Bethany blinked, feeling her bruises begin to heal slowly.  She surveyed the battle that she had just slept through.  "I do not want to know…" She muttered as she got to her feet.  'The walls are changing again,' she mused, 'if this situation wasn't so horribly bad, I'd think I was in an amusement park.'

Midii slumped forward, her hands resting on her knees.  She didn't think she could handle another fight without collapsing.

"Midii, are you alright?" Trowa asked her after he had checked his sister.

She merely nodded, knowing full well her voice wasn't going to sound 'alright'.  Trowa frowned but didn't say anything.  What was he going to say?  He offered her his hand and she gladly took it.

"The lab…" Alessio shifted Catherine's weight in his arms as he pointed to where the walls had led to.

"Oh no…" Bethany stared at the light purplish-grey light radiating from the entrance to the lab.  That light could only mean one thing.  "The time machine is working." 

Augustus Sr couldn't look at where his nephew had died.  He had been a military general in so many wars through the years.  He had seen death and had looked at it straight in the face and laughed…but he had never seen this before.  His nephew, Nicholas, was staring at him with sightless eyes from the viewing window in that, _that coffin_ he was placed in.  He had tried to blast it apart with the Black power when he first saw it but it didn't even budge.  All it did do was cause this weird portal to fluctuate in size.  His blood was boiling.  Where were those humans that had done this to his flesh and blood?!  Where was that murderous she-devil?!  He wanted to tear Dorothy limb from limb.  He wanted her to suffer.  He felt the Black Power feed on his rage.  A hand lightly tapped him on his shoulder.  Quickly turning around he came face to face with a smiling Mario.

"Your anger is clouding your ability to see, my old _friend_." 

Augustus didn't hear the insincerity in Mario's words, or he would have noticed the slight change in his eyes, however, all he could think about was what he would do to those snivelling humans.

Mario laughed, snapping Augustus out of his train of thought for a moment.  "What can be so funny, Mario?!  Where are they?!  I'm going to kill them all!"

Mario just laughed again, walking away from him and towards the weird looking portal.  "You know, that's why I never liked the Black Council so much.  Too impulsive.  Never did think things out clearly.  But you were excellent pawns."

"WHAT are you talking about, Mario?!"

He didn't get to answer as a blast from the entrance rocked the lab.  Five people tumbled into the lab, dodging a Black energy ball.  Augustus stared in anger as Alessio, Bethany, the two Gatekeepers and another man stumbled towards the middle of the lab.  He barely registered that Alessio seemed to be helping one of the Gatekeepers, as he gathered Black energy around his hands to throw at them when he felt a different power invade his being.  "What…?"  He felt cold and hot all of a sudden, he felt as if millions of needles were trying to break out of him.  He stared in shock at Mario who just smiled at him and then a sudden rush of power pushed him backwards, his head banging against the smooth metal interior of one of the containers and just before his power and soul was ripped from him, he saw through the small viewing window, his two sons, Augustus Jr leaning heavily against Caesar who had a Black energy ball dissipating in his hand as he stared at his helpless father.

"One more to go." Mario said in a sing-song voice.

"I don't think so, _Emeline_."  

The fear that crossed Mario's face left as quickly as it had come.  He spun around to face Dorothy, Relena and the three remaining Gundam pilots.  "Too late, my _dear_." Before Dorothy could hit her with the Red power, Mario jumped into the darkening portal.

"No!"  Dorothy was about to leap into the portal after him when Quatre tackled her.  "No, Dorothy!"

Another scream of 'no' came from the room, as Bethany ran towards where Dorothy was.  "Dorothy!"

Momentarily forgetting about the unstable time portal open in front of them, the two cousins hugged fiercely.  "Bethany…you're alright…"

"Father…" Caesar stared in his father's sightless eyes.  Anger boiled up in him.  His leader had just killed his father.  Holding up his older brother, he turned to the large group now in the lab.  An animalistic yell sounded in the room as Caesar dropped his brother to the floor and rushed towards Dorothy and Bethany, a huge energy blast gathering in his hands.  Pushing Bethany away from her, Dorothy felt the flow of Red shoot outwards at Caesar but it was too little too late, as the Black power engulfed her…She felt a sudden push from her side as Quatre shoved her sideways taking the brunt of the blow.  "NO!"  Her nerves felt like they were on fire as she felt Quatre's pain.  Through half-lidded eyes she saw Midii glow Gold before shooting it at Caesar who slammed against the container that had his father before landing on the floor next to his brother.  Midii collapsed, Trowa catching her before she could reach the ground.

"Quatre…Quatre, please wake up." Dorothy whispered, placing her aching hands gently on his face, wincing slightly as she felt the Red power flow from her to him, healing his wounds.

"Dorothy…" Quatre opened his eyes slowly, giving her a tiny smile of assurance.

She gave him a watery smile, hugging him to her. "Don't ever, ever do that again."  

"Alessio, what are you doing?"  Everyone else turned to Catherine who spoke.  She was standing next to Alessio who was examining the portal that was alternating from a light violet to dark purple to light grey. 

"I'm going to go find my father."

Bethany vigorously shook her head.  "Your father jumped through an unstable portal.  He would have made the jump but if you go through, you're not going to make it.  There's not enough power.  Besides - " She stopped short, her eyes widening as she stared at her cousin.  "Dory, why'd you call Mario, Emeline?"  Even as she said it, all the pieces were falling into place.

"That isn't Mario Luciano.  It's Emeline Noventa.  The Green power is the second most powerful power, aside from Red.  She could take the form of anyone and change someone else's form.  A chameleon."  Relena supplied.

"No, that's not possible.  That was my father!" Alessio eyed Relena in disbelief.  "No, that's not possible!"

"It makes sense…but how did you find out, Relena?" Bethany looked encouragingly at her.

"My headaches.  My dreams.  They were from Myra Noventa." Relena looked at the incredulous faces on the people she hadn't told yet.  It had taken some time convincing Heero, Duo, Quatre and Dorothy but they believed her.  

"Myra Noventa?  But she should have been in the explosion at Luxemburg Hall!"

Relena nodded.  "Yes, except only a day before Emeline had told her of her plan to disguise herself as Mario Luciano because there were more Black Council members.  She needed a ready army." Taking a deep breath she continued, "When Myra said she thought she was crazy for doing this and that she would tell the rest of the Council, Emeline made sure she wouldn't be able to do that."

"She killed her own granddaughter?!" Bethany had a hard time swallowing that since she had been raised by her grandparents.

"No, but she is in a coma at a hospital in Luxemburg.  She was communicating to me through her dreams with the Green power.  But the only way I could see what she wanted me to see was if I was asleep as well." Relena shook her head and said gently,  "I know it's hard to believe but, Alessio, that isn't your father.   Your father was probably in the explosion at Luxemburg." 

Alessio looked dumbfounded at Relena.  He turned away from her, gazing at the portal open in front of him.  "What's it going to take to get Emeline?"

"The portal is too unstable.  If someone goes through it now, they're not going to make it."  All the jumbled thoughts had straightened themselves out in Bethany's mind.  Emeline was of Green…no wonder the Gold binding room didn't affect her.  No wonder, there WAS a Gold binding room.  Giovanni would have listened to Emeline and made it.  Emeline Noventa was behind it all.  She shook her head in amazement.

"Alessio, no!"

The shout broke Bethany's reverie as she watched Catherine grab onto Alessio's arm as he headed toward the last Pod.  "Alessio what do you think you're doing!?"  She rushed up to him, blocking him from the Pod.  "Do you have a death wish?!"

He ignored Catherine and stared at Dorothy.  "I saw the Darkness in Emeline.  You're the only one I know who fought the Darkness and survived."

Dorothy nodded to him, knowing in an instant what he was going to do.

"Bethany hurry up and connect this thing to the machine." He stepped into the Pod, which didn't close automatically since it wasn't connected yet.

"No, Bethany." Catherine looked angrily at Alessio.  "What are you doing?!"

"Something right for once."

"No!" Catherine placed herself in the entrance of the Pod.  "You don't need to do this.  There has to be another way!"

Alessio just shook his head sadly. "There isn't another way.  Dorothy needs to go through that portal and save the world from the Darkness.  She can't do that with an unstable portal.  I'm doing this. Bethany connect the damn thing already!"

"Alessio!  Please, don't do this."  Catherine looked around helplessly at everyone in the room.  Her brother was holding a sleeping Midii, Dorothy was staring at the portal, Quatre was watching her, Relena's features were unreadable while Duo and Heero stood nearby the prone bodies of the two Black Council members.  An unknown emotion passed through Alessio as he gave Catherine a small smile, leaned close to her face and kissed her gently on the lips.  Catherine didn't respond, surprised by the action.

"Thank you, Catherine.  Thank you for caring." He whispered to her before he bodily pushed her away from the Pod, yelling, 'now!' to Bethany who hesitated, before pushing the connector plug into the socket causing the Pod to automatically close.  As his power and soul began to seep out of him, a peaceful smile dawned on his face as he closed his eyes.  The last thing he saw was Catherine's face through the viewing window.

The time portal stabilized and became a deep purple colour of a rippling water-like quality.  "Here goes nothing." Dorothy muttered as she stepped towards the portal.

'_I'm going with you.'_ She felt Quatre grip her hand and she shook her head.

'No Quatre.  I need you alive here.  I need to know that you're safe.  Please, I want to come back to you.'

Quatre sighed angrily.  "Dorothy - "

"I love you."  With that she sat in the chair surrounded by a screen, wires and a keyboard.  Pressing the big red button, a howling wind resounded around the lab, knocking people off their feet.  

"DOROTHY!!"  Quatre tried to rush towards her but the wind was like a tornado, keeping him from moving.  Then it died down, all that was left were the three Pods and an after image of red.  The portal had closed and the time machine was gone.

   ************************

  - Unknown Place – Unknown Time -

"Did you feel that?" Lavirea put down the scrolls she was reading and looked over to her younger sister who was putting the finishing touches to her make-up.

"Feel what, Lavi?"  Keioa checked her profile in the viewing pool.  She couldn't wait to see Beijn again and this party the younger members of the Gold Council was throwing sounded like too much fun!

"Do you think of anything but partying, Keioa?"  Lavirea said with disdain.  She had never enjoyed the Council parties, so decadent.  

"Yes, I do.  Like Beijn."  She giggled at that and her red eyes sparkled with mirth.  "Bye, Lavi!  Try not to bore yourself to death!"  With that Keioa disappeared in a cloud of red dust.

Lavirea rolled her eyes.  Her sister could be so, so light-headed!  She tried to shake the feeling of dread that had crept up on her.  The Elders did say there were signs of imbalances in the powers.  To be expected they said.  Nothing to worry about; Earth and Joir were safe from harm.  "Let it go, Lavi.  You're just being over sensitive."  Even with that thought in mind she decided to speak to her mother about it.  If there were one person who could sense something wrong it would be her mother, the Head of the Red Council.

   **********************

Person who is still being incredibly slack:

*sob* I can't stop my slackness!!  Stupid school!! *sob* Stupid time! O_O  ummm…I don't get myself sometimes, either!  So what did you guys think?  Did everyone see that coming a mile away?  For anyone wondering why I made the Green Council (or more specifically Emeline Noventa) the bad guy, its because I like surprises in my stories and well, JA's (annoying, evil little sister's) favourite Colour Council was Green. ^__^ hehehe.  Just a little question, do people want Alessio dead?  I mean he IS dead but does anyone feel sorry for him? Just a question!!  Anyway, so come on peoples! FLAME ME!!! Heh ^__~ R&R and C&C too! E-mail is nice as well!! When will I write Chapter 8?  Dear Ping! I'm not going to jinx myself!!! Hehehehehehe…^__^


	9. Chapter 8: The Past Happens

Disclaimer: Wow!  I updated! Hehehehe…please don't hate me!  Hate this crappy chapter! Yeah, that would be better…Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed!!! Doubly thankful that everyone's so patient! Eternal thanks to Anne for beta-reading! Okies…onto chapter 8!

Joy to My Life

Chapter 8: The Past Happens

By: J.B. Santiago

  Unknown Place – Unknown Time – 

The sky was a picturesque blue, the grass was the perfect shade of green; the mountains provided the ideal backdrop.  She was in a meadow.  A scene from the 'Sound of Music' popped into her mind, unwanted.  Dorothy shivered involuntarily.  She was never going to watch one of Bethany's favourite movies again.  She turned to the time machine, which she had hastily covered with leaves, sticks and anything else that could disguise a bunch of wires, a keyboard, screen and a not so comfortable seat.  'Where the hell am I?' She thought, suddenly realising that she couldn't hear Quatre's thoughts alongside hers.  "Quatre…" she breathed out his name, a clouded look came over her as she thought of how they had parted.  Would that be the last time she saw him?  "Don't think like that, Dorothy!" She chastised herself loudly.  A rustling sound near her shook her out of her dazed state and she stealthily (well as stealthily as someone who just got out of a time jump could) crept towards the sound.  She found herself behind a thornbush on a semi-cliff overlooking more jagged rock faces.

"Lavi!" A voice whined irritably.  Dorothy watched as a young blond woman crossed her arms over her chest and pouted cutely, all the while floating a couple of metres off the ground.  "This is ridiculous!  Even mother told you, that you were being paranoid! Lavi! Come on!  Could we please leave this place?!  I hate being in the Earth wilderness, nothing at all like Joir!"

Another blond woman folded her arms across her chest and stared down imperiously at the woman who was talking to her.  "Little sister." She said in a voice used to dealing with unreasonable younger siblings.  "There is something here. Keioa, I can feel it!  If the Elders, the Heads of Council and even mother can't feel it, doesn't mean there isn't something here!"

A red glow emitted from both of them but that wasn't what made Dorothy's blood run cold.  It wasn't the realisation that she was in the past, where the Greater Council were still all-powerful or that she had just seen two people from the Red Council or that the world of Joir was still there.  No, it was the realisation that the younger blond woman pouting at her big sister was the woman she had met and 'freed' from the Darkness.

  ****************************

  - Subspace - Real Time - 

Sparks erratically flew from where the portal and time machine had been.  Scorch marks surrounded the immediate area and the smell of burnt plastic wafted in the lab.  The Pods were still standing, not even the mini-tornado moved them much.  Quatre stood  where the time machine had been.  His hands clenched into fists, an angry frown marred his features.  Heero had tied up the two Black Council members with leftover wire, although Bethany doubted they would be moving anytime soon as the Gold power kept them comatose.  Duo had used the SeekerSystem to track down the two other unconscious members and was in the process of dragging their sorry butts back to the lab, with Heero's help.  Relena was comforting Catherine while Trowa watched over a sleeping Midii.  Bethany wondered if Dorothy was ok…'Of course she is!' Bethany shook her head, annoyed with herself.  'Dorothy's fine.  The machine worked fine.  I wonder where she is - ' Her eyes widened in fear.  "OM MY GOD!"  She screamed, her hand automatically covering her mouth in shock as she remembered what she had done to the time machine.

"What, Bethany!? What!?" In an instant Quatre had grasped her arms and shook her forcefully, a wild look in his eyes.

Everyone awake stared at the two, a mixture of fear and confusion showing in their faces.  Her breathing became laboured and she struggled out of Quatre's hold almost colliding with the main control panels.  "No…please don't be…" She rapidly typed on the keys on the panel.  All the screens showed the time machine through 3D graphs, Bethany almost punching the keys in her heightened state, until she found what she was looking for.  "No…"  

Quatre whirled Bethany around to face him, not realising his painful death-grip hold on her shoulder.  "What is it, Bethany?"  His voice low and not at all a voice Quatre used often.

"Let go…" She sniffled a little as tears formed in her jade coloured eyes after Quatre released her from his grip.  Quatre blinked a few times, as he realised how out of control he was acting.  Bethany wouldn't look at him straight in the eyes and that frightened him more than he would've liked to acknowledge.  'Dorothy will come back.  Dorothy will come back.' That single thought kept repeating itself over and over in his mind.

"The time machine…" Bethany said, more to the floor than anyone in the lab.  "…It's on random.  Whatever time she sets it won't go to that time.  It will not be able to come back here."  

Quatre didn't hear the alarmed sounds from his friends or the broken sobs coming from Bethany.  He felt terrifyingly empty.  Dorothy was lost to him.  Her thoughts didn't intertwine with his.  Her heartbeat wasn't in tune with his.  She was gone…

"NO!"  Quatre didn't care how frightening he looked or how scared some people in the room seemed of him.  He set his stare at Bethany.  "You made the damn machine!  I know you can fix this!  Fix it!"  His hands shook her shoulders desperately, before a strangled sob escaped his lips and he fell to his knees, tears flowing freely down his face.

"I'm so…sorry…" Bethany sobbed out.  It was her fault.  This was all her fault.  Dorothy was stuck somewhere in time and she had no idea how to get her back.  She stared at the three Pods.  She had made those killing machines.  People were dead because of her.  All because of her.  How could she fix this?  She couldn't.  All she could do was make time-jumping, soul sucking, power sucking machines that didn't do the world any good.

"Hello?  Hello?  Can anyone hear me?"  A voice crackled out of the screen speakers.  "Hello?  Duo?  Anyone?"

"Hilde?!"  Duo dropped the man he was tying up and jumped to his feet, yelling out his wife's name.  "Hilde!?  I can hear you!"

Everyone looked around, trying to find where the sound was coming from.

"Hello?  Damn this!  Sally, no one is answering!" The speakers crackled even more.

Duo rushed to the panels and frantically looked for a mic to talk into.  Bethany stood next to him; sniffling back tears and shakily pressed a few buttons to reveal a mic.  "Hil-de?" 

"Hello?! Bethany?  Is that you?"

'They must have opened the connection to all the labs.' Thought Bethany, as she typed in a few codes to open the connection onto the screen.  What she saw was unexpected.  'They're in the old lab?  Why?' She repeated the thought out loud to the three people now on the screens.

"This is the old lab?  That's what we thought as well.  The new lab got destroyed by…something we don't know but it came from the portal."  Wufei answered.

"Is everyone ok?" asked Sally, looking at the group in Subspace.  After she had said it she realised that Dorothy was missing and Quatre was crying while Bethany didn't look too happy either. 'Oh no…' she thought as Hilde and Wufei noticed as well.

Bethany gave a shaky sigh, about to explain everything when she stopped in confused.  "How did you open the old lab?  It's not like the new one."

Hilde shrugged after quick looks from Wufei and Sally.  "By accident really.  We figured out how to turn the keys until everything turned on."  She stared quizzically at Bethany whose cheeks were tear streaked but a thoughtful expression was firmly placed on her face.

"The Power balance…" She muttered to herself.  "The machine is powered by the old powers!" A plan was forming in her mind, sadness forgotten as she rushed to the Pods.  She pressed a series of buttons and all three Pods opened simultaneously, letting go of the three dead Black council members.  Stepping into one of the Pods as surprised voices gave a shout to her, she pressed on a side panel and a keypad popped out.  Typing on it furiously, she prayed feverishly that this was the answer.  "C'mon, c'mon…" She stood still for a few seconds not moving, waiting for that sound.  A hiss emitted from the Pods, as compressed air was let out, creating a cloud of white smoke that quickly dissipated into the atmosphere.  She closed her eyes briefly, thanking God that it had worked.  

"What are you doing, Bethany?"  Relena asked, now comforting Quatre as well as Catherine.

Bethany opened her eyes, to reveal no more tears.  "The old powers are powering that time machine.  What they - ", she pointed to the screens showing Hilde, Sally and Wufei, " - turned on the old lab using keys that need to be turned according to Power balance.  That's what we need to bring the time machine back here.  To bring Dorothy back here."

Confused looks all around the room as they tried to make sense of what Bethany had said.  "How are you going to do that?" Heero spoke up for the first time since the whole time machine 'incident'.

"The Power balance!" She replied, looking at everyone with a 'you-should-know-this look'.  "I need all the colours!  I have Red, Relena has Green, Midii has Gold, we have four members of Black and - " She stopped short as she realised there were no Blue members left.  She frowned before continuing, "…and we have Catherine.  She can substitute for Blue, she IS carrying the old powers.  All we need to do is use the Pods - "

"Are you crazy?!"  said Duo incredulously.  "These, these Pods, suck the souls out of people.  See the three dead people at your feet?!"  Duo flailed his arms around, muttering, "crazy, completely crazy…"

Bethany sighed impatiently.  "I'm not trying to power a time machine!  I'm trying to create a beacon for the old powers in the time machine to follow so it wont go somewhere else!  The old powers are attracted to each other, like the north and south magnets are.  If we have a concentration of all the old powers we could pull the time machine back here!"  She looked at Quatre who was listening to her intently.  "I need to modify the Pods so we can do this…and we'll also need someone to be connected to the portal - like the time machine was…" She stepped out of the Pod and walked to Quatre, kneeling beside him.  "If you're connected to the portal we could channel all the energy through you to the portal.  You have the old power in you because of Dorothy.  It would increase our chances of getting her back…"  Bethany trailed off.  What she was suggesting sounded so implausible.  The calculations alone would take forever but she needed to do something - anything.

Quatre nodded slowly.  "What do we need to do?"

Encouraged, Bethany began telling everyone her plan.

  *************************

Unknown Place - Unknown Time -

The two blond women had left shortly after their little conversation.  She had run after that.  She didn't know how far she had run but it didn't matter.  Dorothy stumbled against a huge tree root and she leaned heavily against the rough bark, to keep her from falling.  She had run straight into a forest, sunlight wafting through the canopy giving the place dim lighting.  She had travelled into the past where the Darkness hadn't been unleashed…but now Emeline was here and she was carrying the Darkness.  Was this how it was unleashed?  Was this why her kind never saw it coming?  Dorothy clenched and unclenched her fists trying to control her breathing.  What the hell was she going to do?  Was it supposed to happen like this?  Had this already happened?  Dorothy pressed her clenched fists hard against the sides of her head, trying to stop the vertigo.  

"That doesn't help, _dear_." 

Dorothy swirled around to come face to face with Emeline Noventa.  'She looks so much like Sylvia.' Mused Dorothy, even as she felt the Green Power pick her up and slam her against a giant tree.

A cruel smile lit Emeline's features.  She shook her head admonishingly.  "What is it with you Red?  First that little brat of a cousin of yours, somehow sends me to this place and now you're here trying to stop me from what is rightfully mine."  She laughed lightly, disappearing from Dorothy's line of sight before reappearing behind Dorothy's fallen form.  "You're in a forest.  My forte.  Not yours."  With that, Emeline proved her point, literally using Dorothy as a pinball and the forest as the pinball machine.  Dorothy fought the urge to scream as her body hit yet another tree.  Blood dribbled down her face; Emeline was throwing her around so quickly that she couldn't even begin to think of healing.  A sickening crack was heard and she couldn't hold it any longer.  She let out an ear-piercing scream as her left shoulder dislocated and her forearm dangled at a dangerous angle.  

"Hmmm…I was waiting for that."  Emeline just smiled at her as she lifted Dorothy up by her dislocated shoulder.  Dorothy gave a small cry as the Green Power seeped into her arm.  "I don't want you dead, yet.  I'm about to destroy this pathetic little world and you're my captive audience."  Her eyes narrowed into slits.  "This time there will be no mistakes."  

A black vine snaked around Dorothy's good arm and pulled her upwards as more vines wrapped themselves around her legs and mid-section.  She found herself suspended a few metres off the ground.  Dorothy gasped for breath as the Green Power wrapped around the vines.  'At least they stop me from moving my arm,' she thought sarcastically.  "Em…Emeline…fight this."  She rasped out.  The trees around her seemed to get taller and wider, as if they were building an airtight cage around her.

"Fight what,_ dear_?" Emeline's bright green eyes shone a startling colour as she began murmuring something in an ancient tongue.  Dorothy tried to answer but it was just too much.  The pain was overbearing.  She couldn't handle it anymore and Dorothy slipped into unconsciousness.

_'Who are you?'_

_Dorothy blinked in surprise as a pale face materialised in front of her.  She did a 360-degree turn, taking in her surroundings.  She wasn't in the forest anymore but a place with millions and millions of different colours swirling around her.  _

'Your eyes are blue.  That's impossible.'  Dorothy continued to stare at her psychedelic surroundings, ignoring the face that was talking to her. 

_'Can you be a lost soul?' The face stared at Dorothy quizzically before suddenly forming into a standing person with glowing red eyes and shiny blond flowing hair.  Dorothy's mind kicked in then as she realised she was staring at one of the women she had seen earlier.  That girl she had seen in the Darkness had called her Lavi…right?_

_'You know my name?' The woman said.  'How did you get in here?'_

_Realising she had said the woman's name out loud, Dorothy replied, 'I saw you on Earth.' _

_The woman - Lavi, frowned suspiciously at Dorothy but didn't move threateningly towards her.  'Then you must be a lost soul.  Only souls can see my kind on Earth unless we want to be seen…but you are in human form, in here…' Before Dorothy could answer back, Lavi suddenly moved forward, in a flash of red she ran through Dorothy.  The millions of colours around them froze; everything seemed to stop.  _

_'That…power…what IS that?' _

_Dorothy let out the a shallow breath as she felt herself capable of moving again.  She looked behind her to find Lavi slumped over, her red eyes dimly glowing, looking at Dorothy in shock, awe, fear and so many other emotions, not possible for a human to show.  Lavi repeated her question, a little bit more demanding even though she was the one worn out.  'What IS that power?'_

_Dorothy didn't understand.  What power?  She felt as if an anvil was being pushed against her chest.  She was about to answer when she felt herself being viciously tugged back to consciousness…_

"Now, now.  I can't have you asleep while I destroy Joir." Emeline removed her hand from Dorothy's forehead.  "This time Joir goes first, not Earth." 

"Emeline. Stop this.  I know you can fight it." Dorothy breathed out.  The anvil feeling was still present only this time it seemed rather comforting.

Emeline just smiled at her cruelly.  She leaned forward until their noses were nearly touching.  She closed her eyes and instead of bright green orbs when she opened them, Dorothy found herself staring at a bottomless pit of Darkness.  **Too late, Red child.**  A deep hissing sound came out of Emeline's mouth.  The forest became so silent, there was no wind, sunlight seemed non-existent as the Darkness finally spoke.  Then Emeline blinked again, her eyes a brilliant green and her voice light and airy.  She smiled again at Dorothy who was so still, it didn't look like she was breathing.  Emeline moved away from her and continued to speak in that ancient tongue before she had to wake Dorothy.

"No."

Emeline stopped in mid-sentence and turned amusedly at Dorothy.  Bright green eyes met fiery red ones.  Emeline looked at Dorothy, surprised.  Before she could react the Red Power pushed her hundreds of metres backwards until she came skidding to a halt in the meadow outside the forest.  Emeline stood up, shakily trying to get her bearings.  'So the little bitch is finally controlling her powers. No matter.' She thought as she began to gather power around her from the earth.  An emerald colour shield grew bigger and bigger around her as she waited for Dorothy to emerge from the forest.  She didn't have to wait long.  Dorothy appeared into view, just outside where the forest began and the meadow ended; the Red powers had healed her completely.

"Stop this Emeline."

A hollow laugh escaped Emeline's lips, "Was that little hit supposed to scare me, Dorothy?" She was about to laugh again but Dorothy beat her to it.

The laugh contained no mirth and was short-lived.  Dorothy shook her head, "No, but this will."  She placed both hands, palms millimetres from her chest and closed her red eyes.  Taking this as an opportunity to strike albeit weakly, Emeline shot out a small energy ball at Dorothy, that dissipated metres from Dorothy, a red force field protecting her.  Dorothy didn't even flinch.  Emeline watched in cautious fascination as Dorothy's hands began to pulse Red, the light spreading until it covered her as a whole.  Then she slowly moved her hands outwards, in two clenched fists bound together.  This movement seemed to attract the Red away from her body and into her hands like a veil being pulled from a statue.  Dorothy's left hand opened, palm facing Emeline while her right hand - still a fist - began to move away from it.

Emeline narrowed her eyes as she saw an intricately carved handle form in Dorothy's right fist, then a shiny blade gleamed mockingly at her from Dorothy's open left palm.  She was carrying the Key of Life.  Dorothy held the long blade that had formed inside the Darkness when the five Colour Keys came together.  Something cold and evil stirred uneasily inside Emeline.

**The Key.  **Emeline pushed back the voices and emotions and threw a green orb at Dorothy with a furious war cry.  Dorothy stared calmly at it, as if watching a shooting star and not a deadly energy orb.  She lifted the Key just as the orb was about to hit her and the Key absorbed the blast, turning the blade a brilliant green before the power emanated outwards towards Emeline.

All around them the Green Power spread making the meadow suddenly spring to life with plants and life-forms not meant to exist there.

"Emeline.  I know you're in there.  Fight the Darkness."  

**I wont be defeated.**

Dorothy just shook her head and the Key began to glow.

"No!" Emeline gritted her teeth.  This was not going to happen.  Her iris dilated, her eyes an almost black green, her lips moved whispering the final incantation that would open the gate into Joir.  All the trees in the forest were ripped out from their roots as the ground begun to crack and open up to reveal molten rock.

Dorothy stumbled forward, stabbing the ground with the key trying to keep her balance as the ground shook violently.  Magna shot out from the cracks spraying the clear sky with reds and oranges.  

An animalistic scream seemed to drown out the earth's wails for a few moments.  Dorothy saw Emeline disappearing into a huge hole that had appeared behind her.

"No!"  Dorothy, ignoring the huge divides being created and the lava everywhere ran forward jumping almost 20 metres into the hole as it closed.

Then everything became quiet, as suddenly as the earth had begun to explode, it stopped.  The trees that had been floating above the ground crashed back to earth.  The ground stopped splitting and the molten rock began to cool down as the once clear sky turned gray and rain started to pour down.

            *********************

  - Subspace - Real Time -

"We need to re-wire the Pods to connect to us then to Quatre then to the time portal entrance."  Bethany instructed to Heero through a microphone set attached to her.  She was leading the others capable of holding the old powers to where the Pool was.  She held out a palm sized SeekerSystem with her right hand as she navigated the moving maze to the lower floors of the fortress.

"There it is."

The group of five stared at what Midii was pointing at.  Bethany nodded in confirmation after a quick look at the SeekerSystem.  "Ok.  Who wants to go first?"

"I'll go."  Midii nodded o the four, her gaze lingering a little longer at Trowa whose facial expression she still couldn't read.  Walking to the edge of the Pool; she paused taking a deep breath before sticking a foot out and feel forwards into the Pool.  No sound was heard and the gang watched amazed as the dark Pool turned into liquefied gold.  Midii felt the ache wash away as her body began to absorb the old powers.  She floated upwards to where the others were.  Her hair looked like solidified gold, her eyes were gold before returning to their normal blue/gray colour as she landed gently at the foot of the Pool staring at the gang.

"Wow."  Bethany didn't know what else to say.  "Uh, ok Cathie you want to go next?"

Catherine nodded solemnly as she gave a parting look to Midii who was being watched like a hawk by her brother.  Bethany had explained to Trowa and everyone else that Catherine could substitute for the missing Blue power even though it was a male power because she was a Gatekeeper.  She could hold the old powers and if the now modified Pods could take that power it would be a huge boost that could be vital part in bringing Dorothy back to the present.  Catherine hadn't objected although Trowa had reservations he didn't stop her.  Stepping into the Pool, the same way Midii had entered.  She felt the old powers swirl around her; a few seconds of feeling like she was suffocating passed and rose upwards.  A strong hand grabbed onto her glowing one and pulled her up.

"Are you ok, Cathie?"  Trowa whispered in her ear as he hugged his sister.

She merely nodded; she would never get used to this.

"I guess it my turn…" Relena didn't wait for a reply as she walked purposefully to the Pool.  She didn't want to be a liability anymore.  As she entered, the Pool became a bright green, giving the room an eerie glow.  Relena opened her eyes she felt so incredibly powerful.  Then she felt it.  Emeline.  She gasped, oh my god she could feel Emeline's thoughts, feelings, every emotion.  It was as if the Pool held onto a record of every person who had entered it but you could only access the records of your respective Colour.  She didn't want to know.

Bethany jumped back as Relena almost hurtled into her.

"Relena! Are you ok? What happened?!"

Relena blinked a few times until her eyes had returned to her normal colour.  She straightened up staring into Bethany's eyes.  "It will get rid of this right?

"What?"

"The Pods, they'll completely take this power away, right?"

Bethany nodded confused and a little scared at Relena.  "Yeah, it should."

Relena let go of Bethany, nodding back.  "Good.  Because no one needs that power.  No one."

The gang just watched Relena warily.  Bethany walked hesitantly towards the now light green Pool.  It was turning back to its normal colour. 'C'mon Bethany.  Stop being such a scaredy cat.'  But after what had just happened to Relena…audibly gulping she stepped into the Pool.

"Ok Sal, turn it on." Directed Duo talking to one of the big screens in the duplicate lab.

Sally obliged, pulling down a lever Bethany had showed them half an hour ago.  She had said that it would create a power flow from where they were (in Luxemburg) to the fortress lab where Duo was now.  The lights flickered momentarily.  Duo motioned to Heero and he pushed a series of buttons and the area where the time portal had opened began to crackle with energy.

"Ok, now Quatre."

Quatre stepped forward into the area, wires held together by metal pads strapped to his hands.  He placed them where the time portal entrance had been.

"Quatre's in place, alright your turn guys."

Sally, Wufei and Hilde nodded in unison as they again placed their hands into the 'key' that had turned on the old lab.  They turned the key in sync, backwards this time, effectively channelling the power of the lab through the portal into Subspace straight to where Quatre was.  Electric power began to build up in the pads attached to Quatre and he felt a slight tingling sensation as a portal began to form in front of him - just as Bethany had said should happen.

"It's working!" Duo shouted over to Heero.  The silent question being, 'but will it bring back Dorothy?'

"Where are the others?!"

            *****************************

  - Joir - Unknown Time -

Dorothy stumbled onto the ground narrowly missing impaling herself with the Key of Life.  She stood up shakily and her breath caught in her throat.  She had seen this place before.  Paradise.  It had been a fleeting vision, the first time, when she had somehow ended up there and at that time she had been too busy trying to stay awake.  Joir.  Still so alive and breathtaking.  A scream broke Dorothy's trance.  She ran towards the scream only to halt at the steps of a building reminiscent of the Colosseum.  She swallowed the bile that was threatening to rise in her throat.  In front of her had been a Council member.  Had being the operative word.  Dorothy couldn't even tell if it had been a man or a woman, all she could see were tiny sparks of Green power surrounding the figure.  

**Too late, Red child.**

Swivelling around to face her tormentor, Dorothy saw Emeline disappear in a haze of Green.  Cursing, she ran to the spot Emeline had just been in and concentrated.  "C'mon, THINK Dorothy!" The old powers were considerably heightened in Joir than on Earth.  If Emeline could do that vanishing act so could she.  A Red haze surrounded her and with thoughts centred solely on Emeline she too, vanished.

            ******************************

Person who hasn't written in almost two months!:

Ummm…this was actually a MUCH longer chapter 8, but then I realised it would be too long so I've separated it into two different chapters!  Hopefully ch.9 will be out in a few days…heh…please R&R, C&C, flame me, e-mail and all that!!

Thanks again for your patience and I hope this wasn't such a sucky chapter!!!


	10. Chapter 9: What Came First? The Chicken...

DISCLAIMER: I guarantee, this is the most un-me writing ever. Does that make sense? ^_^ wow! I got another chapter out in the SAME month! ~_^ wow! …I don't think anyone's going to like this O_o

Joy to My Life

Chapter 9: What Came First? The Chicken or the Egg?

By: J.B. Santiago

- Unknown Place – Unknown Time -

Lavirea stood up numbly from the kneeling position she stayed in since that girl had vanished from the Red mediative-state 'room'. The millions of colours continuously swirled around her, as if nothing had disturbed it. This 'room' was a haven for Lavirea, a room where only Red council members could enter. It was a place to think, to relax - to feel completely safe. Every Council had one; it had been called a mediative-state since when one entered everything became clear and comforting. She trembled slightly. She didn't feel very clear and comfortable here anymore. Lavirea clenched her jaw and focussed on leaving the 'room', her thoughts already on what to tell her mother about that mysterious girl.

"Ahhh!" Clutching her head in her hands, Lavirea felt her legs give way and she fell to her knees again. The surrounding area began to pulse blood Red, and the screams began.

- Joir - Unknown Time -

'Idiots! I'm not the enemy!' Dorothy thought as she deflected another attack from three different Council members. She had teleported right where Emeline was, unfortunately Emeline had already started World War III and when the Council members saw Dorothy they had automatically started firing at her as well. So she was trying to fight most of the Greater Council AND Emeline (a.k.a the Darkness) with a sword that did nothing but deflect attacks. Not that this was a bad thing but Dorothy really needed to know how to use this damn Key of Life before Emeline unleashed the Darkness. She rolled towards a pillar, leaning against it, taking a breather. This was not good. She couldn't hurt the Council members so every hit they shot at her she deflected at the building which was slowly but surely going to cave in if she kept doing that. She couldn't even hit Emeline without fear of hitting a Council member. Dorothy couldn't risk killing her own ancestors now, could she? Emeline, on the other hand, seemed to be having a ball. Wherever she threw a hit it would kill someone or damage Joir. Dodging falling debris, Dorothy ran to the safety of the next pillar, the Key automatically deflecting any shot coming her way. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw five council members - all a different Colour, glowing intensely, their mouths all moving in sync, silently. A circle of Council members had formed around them, warding off the energy Emeline was throwing at them. Seeing this as a chance to hit Emeline, Dorothy concentrated on the Key she was holding and tried to channel energy through it to hit Emeline. A reddish tint developed around the Key and Dorothy pushed off from the pillar and aimed the Key at Emeline. With a yell, Dorothy felt a rush of Red power go from her into the Key then outwards towards Emeline. Emeline noticed this about the same time as the Council members noticed it. A precious momentary pause and the place erupted in a thousand Colours.

- Unknown Place - Unknown Time -

"AHHH!" Lavirea felt her mother's soul being ripped from her body. The souls of all Red could be heard screaming in the mediative-state. "mother…Mother…MOTHER!" Her eyes blazed Red, matching the pulsing 'room'. A war cry shrieked out of her and she disappeared.

- Joir - Unknown Time -

Billows of smoke rose up from the rumble of what once was a majestic structure. A soft cough was heard followed by hacking. Gingerly picking herself up, using the Key as support, Dorothy's eyes widened at what was left. "No…"

"Yes."

Dorothy nearly dropped the Key as she saw Emeline only a few metres away from her. An evil smile playing on her lips, Emeline stated in a casual manner, "You missed."

Dorothy shook her head in disbelief. No, it wasn't possible. The energy she had thrown at Emeline hadn't been very much. It couldn't have levelled the entire building. She desperately surveyed the wreckage, hoping against hope to see any survivors. 

"Thanks for waiting until they finished the incantation to open the portal back to Earth. Makes my job a whole lot easier." Emeline waved at the portal that was now open where those five Council members had been chanting. 'They were going to open a portal and send us back to Earth.' Dorothy realised, she felt sick as their intensely glowing faces danced around in her mind. Emeline's smile grew wider; she seemed completely untouched by the dust and smoke all around them. A malicious comment was cut off by an ear-piercing yell as they both turned to see the new arrival. 

Before Dorothy and Emeline were swept away by an incredibly fierce hurricane of Red power into the portal back to Earth, Dorothy recognised the new person as that woman, 'Lavi'. 

- Earth - Unknown Time -

'I'm getting really sick and tired of being thrown around like this.' Breathing heavily and favouring her left side, Dorothy rolled onto her knees, perilously close to the edge of a rock cliff. A steady pouring of rain didn't help any as she started to heal slowly. Then she remembered the Key. Looking around frantically for the sword, this was the same area where the time machine had landed, completely forgetting about healing her wounds, as the thought of losing the Key of Life became a frightening reality. 

"ARGH!"

Dorothy snapped her head to where that horrible scream had come from. She saw Emeline standing twenty metres away from her, yelling at where the portal had been. Obviously this wasn't how she had planned everything. Dorothy started to contemplate finding a good hiding place from the very insane Emeline but she was spotted first. That smile, Emeline was giving her was not comforting at all. 

"You've lost the Key." Mirthless laughter escaped from her. "Dorothy, Dorothy, Dorothy. What am I going to do with you?" Emeline's twisted smile just got bigger as she advanced towards Dorothy.

Dorothy instinctively stepped back. The ground was soggy and her shoes sunk a little into the dirt. A few more steps and she would be heading for one mighty trip down a cliff face. Dorothy calculated the options. The best one her mind could come up with was that jumping would be a less painful death. Inwardly groaning she gritted her teeth and gave a steely glare back to Emeline. She felt drained and without the Key there would be no chance of her deflecting any hit Emeline threw at her. She was a sitting duck. 'Dorothy Duck, that's me.' She thought disparagingly, narrowing her eyes as she watched Emeline move closer to her. She needed time to think! Maybe she could sense the Key? Emeline was getting closer and closer; an energy orb glowing and growing in her hands. 'C'mon! Sense that stupid Key! Stupid, idiotic, annoying - ' the rant stopped abruptly in her mind as Dorothy felt what she always had. A semi idea came to her and she spoke, "Emeline. Why did you so willing let the Darkness corrupt you?"

The smile didn't leave Emeline's face but she did stop her advance. "Trying to buy some time, hmmm? There's no one here to save you now Dorothy. Not even that snivelling blond."

Dorothy twitched involuntarily, at the slight against Quatre but she kept her eyes trained on Emeline. "Please, Emeline, grant a dying person her last wish: Why did you let the Darkness corrupt you?"

"Why should I? Especially a murderer like you!" With that, Emeline threw the orb at Dorothy and she felt it sink into her skin and constrict her breathing. She placed both hands on her chest as she fell to one knee, edging a step closer to the end of the cliff.

"And I thought I was being hypocritical." Dorothy said in that controlled voice she always used when she was hiding an insult in a compliment. "I just wanted to blow up Earth, I didn't want to end the universe."

"Shut up!" Emeline's face became distorted in hatred as she stood a metre away from Dorothy. "This is what they deserve. All of them deserve to die!" She took one step forward, raising her hands at Dorothy, power gathering at her palms.

"Is that you talking or the Darkness, Emeline?" Dorothy watched her unnervingly. Just one more step…

"You're out of time, Dorothy." Emeline raised her hands to the sky as huge amounts of energy circled around her hands and took a step forward about to throw it at Dorothy's kneeling form. A bright light flashed and Emeline realized too late as the Key of Life formed in Dorothy's hands and pierced her surprisingly soft skin. An eternity seemed to spin by until Emeline fell to the ground, the Key embedded in her heart. She didn't make a sound as the Darkness shot out from her every pore as it tried to get away from the Key. A thunderstorm wailed as the Darkness spread into the Earth. 

"What…have you done?" Emeline whispered to Dorothy who was staring down at her, with a blank expression on her face.

"…Emeline?" 

"I…" She felt the Key starting to suck out all the Green power she had. Emeline looked at Dorothy. "I…"

"Emeline?"

A beatific smile graced Emeline's features as she felt the last of the Green power leave her body. She was free… "It's tainted…the power…you're not…" A deep shudder escaped her and she went limp.

Dorothy watched blankly as Emeline began to turn back into the grandmother, Dorothy had known for years. The aging process didn't stop at her real age; it kept going until all that was left was ash that blew away by the gale forces being whipped around. Dorothy sat there motionless; the sword had sunk into the ground where Emeline had fallen but was still upright. Rain bucketed down on her nevertheless she didn't move from her spot. She had unleashed the Darkness. It was her that had nearly wiped out her kind, not the Darkness. She had single-handedly brought on the Dark Ages of mankind…

The Key of Life began to pulse silver. It began to waver slightly. She had to get out of here. Now. Standing up hastily, she grabbed onto the handle of the sword and half-ran, half-stumbled towards where the time machine was, hopefully the cover she had put on top of it had sheltered it from the storm. She doubted it.

"You!"

Dorothy didn't even turn around. She knew who it was. That woman. Dorothy knew what she had to do.

Lavirea ignored the pelting rain and thunder. She grabbed onto the girl's shoulder and twisted her around until they were face to face. Before Lavirea could scream at her, Dorothy spoke, "I'm from the future. I came here to stop the Darkness. I came here…to stop the Darkness." 

In the pouring rain, Lavirea didn't pick up that tears were trailing down the girl's face. Lavirea felt overwhelmed. As if she had just entered the mediative-state room for the very first time. Her mind was screaming at her, to not believe such a far-fetched answer; to not believe the person responsible for so much death and destruction…but she did believe. Her hands fell to her waist and her train of sight went to the sword in the girl's hand.

"What is that power?"

Dorothy too, looked at the wavering Key. "It's…it's when the five Councils join powers together and create the Key of Life. It's the only thing that can stop the Darkness." A look of determination crossed Dorothy's face. "You're the one who will save the Earth."

Lavirea broke out of the trance the Key seemed to put on her as she looked at the girl in surprise. Before she could ask anything else, Dorothy ran to where the time machine was hidden. Throwing off the coverings, she was relieved to find that it wasn't completely soaking wet. Rapidly pressing the time and date of home she held on tightly as it whirred to life and vanished. Lavirea stood there for a few minutes in shock. "I would save the world…" Lavirea gritted her teeth together and teleported back to Joir. Yes, she would save the world. She would make mother proud.

**************************

- Subspace - Real Time -

"Where are the others?!" Duo yelled over the noise.

"Right here." 

He turned around to see five glowing figures and Trowa. 'Scary…'

Bethany shut her eyes tight, trying to ignore the voices that were whispering things in her mind ever since she had stepped into the Pool. "Ok! Heero plug in those four!" She pointed to the prone bodies of the Black Council members. Heero obliged and connected each one quickly to one Pod that had been stripped down to just the wiring. Bethany nodded to Midii who connected her hands to the same Pod. Catherine went next, standing next to the second Pod, connecting her hands where Bethany had placed hand pads inside the Pod so they could channel energy through it; Relena stood beside her, doing the same. Bethany bit her bottom lip hard as the voices got louder, she took a step towards the last pod, where she would connect to and all their power combined would go through Quatre to send a beacon out to the time machine - to Dorothy. 

**You don't need her.**

Bethany's eyebrows shot up. She looked frenetically around the lab, but no one else seemed to have heard that voice.

"What's the matter?!"

Bethany felt like hyperventilating, she gave Duo a crazy look. **The universe could be yours.**

Shaking her head savagely she rushed to the last Pod and placed her hands on the pads. "TURN IT ON!"

Duo didn't need to be told twice and he pressed the last button to activate the Pods.

Bethany felt the Red Power seep from her fingers. It was working! 'I don't want the universe. I just want my cousin back.' The voices disappeared.

**************************

- Unknown Place - Unknown Time -

Dorothy sneezed, as more sand went up her nose. She was definitely NOT back home. Not unless home turned into a hot and blistery Egyptian afternoon. Falling out of the time machine, which was now half buried in sand, she squinted as the setting sun cast long shadows against the smallest pyramid of Giza. She had gone here once, before the Eve Wars, with her grandfather. To Dorothy, they were masterpieces of human intelligence and resilience. Four thousand years later and they were still standing. A chill travelled down her back. 'That's strange…' The sky had just turned into night and the sand was rapidly cooling down as the heat dissipated into the cloudless skies. Dorothy felt a weird sensation as she realised that night had come in a blink of an eye. 

Boisterous laughter echoed in the dark, and Dorothy peered around the corner of the pyramid. The site in front of her was not what she imagined. Instead of seeing the middle pyramid, she saw an enormous skyscraper made of stone blocks.

"Ok, ok! Ready? Go!"

Dorothy snapped her head upwards in amazement at the two bodies floating high up in the air. Their bodies glowed against the night sky and they seemed to be chatting in a challenging way. They were taking out blocks one at a time…like a game! 

"What?! You can't move that there!" Said one to the other, their voices loud and clear, even from their altitude.

"You have got to be kidding," murmured Dorothy. This was how the pyramids were made?! A whirring sound surprised Dorothy and she twirled around just in time to see the time machine come to life. Without a second thought she lunged towards it just as it disappeared.

**************************

- Subspace – Real Time -

Beads of sweat rolled down Quatre's face and he felt the metal pads start to slip from his fingers. 'No!' He tightened his grip on them as he stared at the place where the portal had been. A beam of Colours was being shot through it and he didn't know if he could hold on much longer. Unreal howls began to sound from the portal entrance. Then silence. Everything just stopped. The beam disappeared, the power went out and bodies collectively collapsed from the outpouring of power. Sparks of light shot out from the entrance and smoke began to cloud the room.

"Hel-lo?! Guys - you ere me?! Duo?!" Hilde's voice broke out through the speakers.

Everyone began to gingerly get up. "I'm here Hil." Duo said half-heartedly, he helped Bethany to her feet as she was the only person he could see through the smoke. 

"Did it work?" Bethany looked at him anxiously. "Dorothy?! Dorothy where are you?!" She yelled stumbling towards where Quatre was.

The gang looked nervously at Quatre, the smoke was clearing slightly and they could make out his outline…and the outline of the time machine!

"Dorothy…Dorothy!" Quatre staggered to the machine; joy clearly etched on his face. "Dorothy - " He stared at the empty seat. Bethany stood motionless by his side. 

"Watch out!"

Trowa pushed the both of them out of the way, just as falling debris fell onto the time machine. A mini explosion rocketed the room, breaking anything else that wasn't already destroyed. Quatre shoved the two bodies away from him and scrambled to where the time machine had stood. The ground started to shake violently and Heero stopped him from getting any closer. 

"We need to get out NOW."

Quatre tried to push away from Heero but it just resulted in both of them falling to the ground. The sound of shattering glass and metal screeched through the lab. 

"Get out everyone! The place is going to explode!" Wufei said, staring at the fluctuating graphs and readings in the lab back on Earth.

"NO!" Quatre somehow got away from Heero's death grip and lurched towards the fiery mess. He didn't see Duo's hand snake out and hit him in the chest, knocking him out.

"Sorry buddy." Duo hefted Quatre over his shoulder and started to run out of the lab, closely followed by the others (some who were carrying the four Black Council members). Relena dragged Bethany out, as the girl was in a state of shock. They all piled into the room Bethany had first been brought in to meet Mario. A portal had been opened earlier, that led directly back into the old lab on Earth, where Sally, Wufei and Hilde waited uneasily. As the last person walked through the portal, the room caved in.

**************************

- Earth – 

Three days earlier…

"Ouch!" Bethany hopped on one foot, holding her other shin, which she had just hit the table leg with. She disappeared into the closet beneath the stairs, weird sounds coming from inside. Dorothy blinked. She was lying on the floor of the family room of Bethany's estate in Florence. Dorothy tried to get up but her body wasn't listening. 'Bethany…' her mind whispered. It was so dark and Dorothy doubted Bethany could see her so far away. From her position on the floor, she saw Bethany about to bound up the stairs. A silhouette appeared behind Bethany and it materialised into Steven Locandro who grabbed her and disappeared. Then she saw everyone rush down the stairs, lead by…herself.

Dumbfounded, Dorothy lay prone as she heard herself call out for Bethany. 'Oh my god…I'm in the past!' Her body was still not responding to her brain's commands and she lay perfectly still, watching the gang standing in the foyer. Alessio appeared just like before, sprouting some rubbish or other. Her right hand began to twitch back to life. A wave of pain hit her suddenly and she realised Alessio must have hit her past self, meaning he was about to hit Quatre. Anger began to build up inside of her; there was no way she would let Alessio hurt Quatre again - or was this the first time? Able to shake her head again, Dorothy whispered, "I don't think so." She closed her eyes, focusing on the memory of what had happened three days ago and the Red power began to radiate from her.

Two days earlier…

Sounds of motor scooters whizzing past underneath the balcony from which she lay, woke Dorothy up from an uncomfortable slumber. Rolling away from the broken pot plant she must have crashed against, she sat up groggily, shielding her eyes from the setting sun, reflecting off the French windows. She was on the balcony of Bethany's apartment in Milan where Duo and Hilde had been staying for the remainder of their vacation. SO that's how she had teleported everyone here. Her future self had helped…this was getting more confusing. Had she been asleep for the whole day? Recollecting her thoughts of what had happened on that day, she estimated that her past self and everyone else was now in Luxemburg. Dorothy looked down at her muddy, blood splattered clothes. She forced the windows opened and went in search for some clean clothes and a phone. She needed to get on a plane to Luxemburg.

A few hours later…

She watched sadly as she saw everyone drive away in two separate cars, on the way to her estate where Relena would hurtle them head first into this mess. She had contemplated appearing before them but she didn't know if having her past self and future self see each other would somehow cause them both to disappear. This wasn't her field of expertise, after all. After all she had been through, she wasn't about to risk it, even though her heart ached to be near Quatre again. He would be able to make this all better…

The soft beeping sounds of hospital equipment, the only noise heard in the fully bandaged patients room. Dorothy looked warily at Myra Noventa's covered face. Myra had been the one to tell Relena that it was Emeline who was the true enemy. Maybe if she could heal her, Relena would know sooner and…Dorothy held Myra's bandaged hand and focussed.

- Luxemburg - Real Time -

Wufei looked disbelievingly at his hand holding down the lever. He had pulled it? Dorothy felt a smirk tug at her lips. She was getting used to her powers. It had been relatively easy to move Wufei's hand to the lever. He'd probably have a fit, if he found out how easily she had planted the knowledge of how to turn the keys, in his mind. 

- Subspace - Real Time -

A small blimp of light showed up on the monitors before disappearing completely unnoticed by the three in the lab. 'Déjà vu all over again', Dorothy thought as she materialised in the fortress once more. The place shook suddenly, before stopping. The fighting was already well under way. She needed to find the lab. 

"There it is."

Dorothy melted into the shadows as she watched Bethany, Relena, Midii, Catherine and Trowa enter a room with an arched entrance. The old powers emanated from that room. A gasp caught in her throat as she felt Bethany gain the full power of Red. She could hear Bethany's thoughts! …and something else. Whispered voices…the Darkness! She could hear the Darkness in Bethany's thoughts…Bethany had the Darkness? No, it wasn't possible! She watched the group teleport away. The room with the old powers dimmed and Dorothy cautiously walked into it. 'It looks like a pool…' She placed her hand close to where the 'water' began to ripple. "Huh?!" She snatched her hand away. The old powers were in this 'water'. This 'pool' held the old powers. That's how they gained their full powers! All the pieces of the jigsaw were finally falling into place! _"It's tainted…the power…you're not…"_ That's what Emeline had meant! The Darkness had tainted the old powers when she had defeated it the first time. Dorothy stared at the 'pool'. She needed to destroy it. The Darkness needed to be stopped now. So much bloodshed…so much caused by her. Dorothy felt as if she was standing outside of herself as she focussed and the Key of Life materialized in her hands. The Key had stopped wavering and was a solid silver sword. She stared mesmerised by the whole atmosphere. How would she do this? The Key started to glow and Dorothy knew what she had to do. Taking a few steps back, she ran forward, Key held high and she sunk into the Pool.

The End.

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hehe! Just kidding! ^__^ *Ducks the tomatoes and other projectile that was thrown at her* ahem…

Person who is annoyed with herself because she loathes this chapter:

You know, I actually considered ending it like this but then J.A. threatened to bash me up if I did so I've got more chapters after this! ^__^ After so many chapters of no-Joy, I promise that the rest of the chapters will have JOY! (excluding the next one ~_^) ….heh, if anyone wants to R&R, C&C, e-mail, death threats as well! Most welcome! I expect some death threats people! ^__^


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